Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Annex Two to the paper entitled HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg: Crewe to Manchester: An Update on the Strategic Outline Business Case, published by his Department on 24 January 2022, whether the Indicative Train Service Specification has been superseded by an updated version.

Annex Two to the paper entitled HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg: Crewe to Manchester: An Update on the Strategic Outline Business Case, published by this Department on 24 January 2022 provided two indicative train service specifications (iTSS) – a central scenario which assumed that the Golborne Link formed part of the scheme, and an alternative scenario in which the Golborne Link was not constructed. In June 2022, with the removal of the Golborne Link from the High-Speed (Crewe-Manchester) Bill, the alternative scenario as published in January 2022 became the central scenario. There have been no further changes to the iTSS beyond this. An updated iTSS for Northern Powerhouse Rail services will be incorporated in future.

No final decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 becomes operational. These decisions will be taken nearer the time, drawing on advice from the West Coast Partnership and Network Rail, and will be subject to public consultation.