Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin yesterday mooted a plan to extend Crossrail services into Hertfordshire, linking the cross-London service directly to the forthcoming HS2 line.
The proposal is for Crossrail services to be extended to towns such as Tring, Hemel Hempstead and Watford, via a new rail link through north-west London between Crossrail’s Old Oak Common terminal and the West Coast Main Line.
It would mean direct journeys into the City and West End for Hertforshire commuters, who would no longer have to change on to the London underground at Euston.
Speaking at BAM Ferrovial Kier’s Crossrail site at Farringdon, McLoughlin said: “I have asked HS2 Limited to work closely with the Crossrail sponsors to look at extending Crossrail services to key destinations in Hertfordshire. Not only would this be a huge boost to passengers and the local economy, it would also provide flexibility when building HS2 into Euston, making sure we create a lasting legacy for the station.”
The announcement comes two days after chancellor George Osborne pledged his support for a scheme dubbed “Crossrail of the North”.
The cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield this week jointly submitted a report to Osborne setting out a £15bn, 15-year plan to upgrade their road and rail links.
The cities want to forge an economically integrated region that can hold its own against London and the south-east of England after the construction of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail link.
The report, A proposition for an interconnected North, gives priority to overcoming the barrier of the Pennines, splitting Lancashire (as well as Liverpool and Manchester) from Yorkshire (Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle beyond). There is no all-weather road route over the hills, and no electrified rail link.
The report describes a plan for “a new trans Pennine route, connected to the HS2 lines and the existing rail network, tunnelled as needed, linking the five city regions together with Manchester Airport and the ports”.
Julie Dore, the leader of Sheffield council, said: “For years our transport network has been far too slow and inferior compared with London and the south-east. This report outlines the steps we need to put this right, but we need the tools to make it happen. Getting city-to-city connections right will act as a catalyst for our cities and city regions.”
Among the infrastructure improvements proposed are:
- Increased road capacity through the closing of gaps in the motorway network and improving links to ports.
- A fast and frequent inter-city rail network, including a new 125mph trans-Pennine route.
- The early construction of the HS2 line and the bringing forward of the link between Leeds and Sheffield.
- Better rail access to Manchester Airport.
On the subject of funding, the report calls for a united approach from the north’s councils and local enterprise partnerships when it comes to making the case to government for a greater allocation of public money.
It says: “We look forward to cross-party support and active government leadership in working with ourselves, Network Rail, HS2, the Highways Agency and other key partners to develop a strategic investment plan.”
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council commented: “The benefits far outweigh the costs and should be set in context with other transport funding requests – for example recent requests for transport funding in and around London total around £80bn up to 2050.”
