Michael Fabricant – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic on the West Coast Mainline following completion of Phase 1 of High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The construction of High Speed 2 (HS2) will release capacity on the existing network, including the West Coast Mainline, reducing crowding, improving resilience and reliability across the network, and improving journey opportunities for passengers. This released capacity could also provide space for at least an extra 20 West Coast Main Line freight paths helping to meet forecast freight demand and taking lorries off the road network. Phase One of HS2 will also bring substantial benefits in its own right, providing additional capacity and improved connectivity.