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Rail minister Huw Merriman has said he will provide an update "very shortly" on the Department for Transport (DfT) study that will look at connecting HS2 trains to Leeds.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Merriman added: “I am aware that that study needs to get out so that we can really look at how we can get those HS2 trains up to Leeds and the other impacts that will actually have on Leeds.
“There are discussions going on in the department, there have been this week, as to how we can move that forward.”
The West Yorkshire city was intended to be the terminus of the eastern leg of HS2, but with the release of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) in November 2021, that was curtailed, with the eastern branch now only going as far as East Midlands Parkway. This is despite Leeds having safeguarded land in the city for many years in preparation for the high-speed line’s arrival.
Instead, the government stated: “The IRP provides £100M to look at the most effective way to run HS2 trains to Leeds, including understanding the most optimal solution for Leeds station capacity, and start work on the new West Yorkshire Mass Transit System”.
However the study – known as the Leeds Area Study – has yet to start. In September it was revealed that it will take between 18 months and two years to complete but it is down to transport secretary Mark Harper to publish the terms of reference before the process can get underway.
Work on the study is important as the current Leeds station is already at capacity. The work is also crucial for Bradford, which was found to be the worst connected city in the UK in a study by Be The Best Communications’ People, Places, Policy and Data Unit.
In the House of Commons, former South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis urged ministers to “get on with it” and launch the study.
He said: “Ukraine, currently at war, worked with Romania to re-open a railway line in just six months – showing that decisions on rail investment are down to priorities, ambition, and the targeting of resources.
“To that end, the government is sending a loud and clear message to Yorkshire that our neglected and decrepit rail network is not their priority. I know Yorkshire leaders are ready and waiting to make the most out of this study. So, my message to the Rail Minister is simple – get on with it.”
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Leeds station is at capacity because too many trains terminate there, rather than pause there on the way to Bradford etc.
Greengauge has been arguing for some time that the fastest London to Leeds services should stay on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) longer and approach Leeds from the North, via an existing junction, before heading to Bradford etc. to free up one platform.
I agree especially if key parts of the Leeds to York line are effectively 4 tracked using part of the HS2 Eastern Leg protected alignment.