First phase of HS2 project gets royal assent

LEGISLATION for the first phase of the HS2 high-speed rail project has passed its final hurdle.

The parliamentary Bill to build the line from London to Birmingham received royal assent on Thursday, opening the way for construction work to begin.

It had more than three years of scrutiny, including a failed eleventhhour bid to defeat it in the House of Lords last month.

Phase one of the £55.7bn scheme is scheduled to open in December 2026, with a second Y-shaped phase launching in two stages.

Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe will open in 2027 and phase 2b, from Crewe to Manchester and from the West Midlands to Leeds, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, will begin operation in 2033. Construction work on phase one is set to begin in the spring.

When the section is completed, it is expected to nearly triple the number of rush-hour seats on the route from 11,000 to about 30,000.

Most intercity trains will run on the HS2 network, allowing more commuter services on the West Coast line.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling described the process of getting the legislation through Parliament as “long and arduous”, and said getting the go-ahead to start construction is a “massive boost” to the UK’s future economic prosperity.

He added: “HS2 will be the world’s most advanced passenger railway and the backbone of our rail network. Royal assent is a major step towards significantly increasing capacity on our congested railways for passengers and freight; improving connections; and generating jobs, skills and economic growth.”