High Speed 2 (HS2)Â
HS2
High Speed 2 (HS2) was a proposed new high speed railway to run from London to Birmingham and on to Leeds, and from London to Crewe and on to Manchester.
HS2 was to be built in phases:
HS2 Phase 1, from London to Birmingham. Phase 1 is currently under construction. It is scheduled o be fully operational by 2033.
HS2 Phase 2a was to run between Birmingham and Crewe. The final design showed new high-speed railway lines running parallel to the West Coast Mainline through Weston and Crewe Green Parish, terminating just south of Weston Lane. A viaduct near Wychwood Village was to carry HS2 lines over the West Coast mainline so that HS2 trains could use Crewe station.
HS2 Phase 2b covered new high speed railway lines from Crewe up to Manchester and from Birmingham to Leeds. The line from Crewe to Manchester was proposed to run in a tunnel under Crewe town centre. The tunnel entrance was to be built just south of Weston Lane.
HS2 would have had a profound affect on our Parish and the Parish Council had been liaising closely with Cheshire East Council and with HS2 to address areas of concern.
However, on 4 October 2023 the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced that only Phase 1 (the London to Birmingham section) of HS2 would go ahead.
Phases 2a and 2b of the project (the 'Northern' leg) have been cancelled.
We await further information.