HS2 Stafford link may not be needed, says MP Michael Fabricant
The proposed link between HS2 and Stafford railway station has been thrown into doubt by one of the county's MPs.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant says the connection between the £50 billion high speed rail line north of the cathedral city and the West Coast Mainline at Handsacre may not be needed if construction to Crewe is sped up.
Under current plans high speed trains will come off at Lichfield and pass through Stafford on existing lines when the first phase is complete.
But 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.
If the link is axed it means Stafford will lose its planned high speed service but will save 2.6 miles of Staffordshire countryside between Lichfield and Handsacre.
It comes after new HS2 boss Sir David Higgins has recommended the Government brings forward the building of the northern line to crew by six years to 2027.
Mr Fabricant said: "This might make a huge difference in Lichfield.
"It is possible that this might not be necessary if the line is now to be built straight to Crewe. I am seeking to clarify this with the Department for Transport and what other changes might be made to the HS2 route in the constituency. I am still backing an alternative route change which would take HS2 in and out of Birmingham using existing rail and road corridors and brownfield sites.
"I suspect that at this time, they won't be able to give definitive answers. But meanwhile all this uncertainty regarding the route of HS2 is causing considerable distress to my constituents some of whose property has been badly blighted by the current route of HS2."
HS2 Ltd said that there are no plans to axe the link to Stafford.
Ben Ruse, HS2 lead spokesperson said: "Sir David Higgins has stressed again the need for better connectivity in our transport system, especially in the North. Current plans show the Handsacre Junction is an essential link between the first stage of HS2 and the West Coast Mainline, allowing HS2 services to Stafford and other destinations north of Birmingham to run from 2026. The Higgins Report, HS2 PLUS, doesn't include any recommendations on changes to the link."
HS2 is set to cut a 45-mile swathe through Staffordshire countryside.
The first phase will see the line from London to Birmingham and continue to Lichfield.
The second phase will join Lichfield with Manchester but the final route is yet to be revealed by the Department for Transport.
