Government confirms HS2 link to Stafford

The Government has confirmed a link between the controversial HS2 line and Stafford will be built.

The announcement was made during the latest round of hearings about the project.

It had originally been suggested that the nine-mile link in Handsacre would be scrapped to save money in Sir David Higgins's latest report released later this month.

But earlier this week, campaigners revealed that officials had told them it would remain in the plans.

Now, the Department for Transport has confirmed that the link will be built if the HS2 Bill is passed in the House of Commons.

Will a HS2 link to Stafford benefit the economy, or will it be of little use? Leave your thoughts below.

Timothy Mould QC, lead counsel for the Department for Transport, told the HS2 committee: "Firstly, in relation to Handsacre junction and the construction, the assurance that we have given is this: if the Bill is enacted, including powers to construct the junction of the HS2 railway with the West Coast Mainline at Handsacre - that is to say the Handsacre junction - the promoter will require the nominated undertaker, if it constructs any part of the railway authorised by the Bill, to complete the construction of the Handsacre junction."

If the link was axed, Stafford would lose its planned high speed service but save 2.6 miles of countryside.

Under the plans, high speed trains will come off at Lichfield and pass through Stafford station on existing lines as part of the first phase. However, once the second phase is finished, the majority of high speed trains will not use the link to Stafford, with only an hourly service between the county town and London joining up with the HS2 line at Lichfield before it goes on the Handsacre.

Stafford council leaders say the link will bring a boost to the economy - but they insist they are still opposed to the project as a whole.

Sir David Higgins will present his report on October 27, when he is also expected to announce than Crewe will get a new 'hub' station rather than Stoke-on-Trent.

Leaders from Staffordshire County Council and Lichfield District Council were due to appear before the HS2 committee this week as it works through the hundreds of objections.

But they pulled out after developers agreed to run the line below the A38 near Lichfield rather than over viaducts.