Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect HS2 to extend to (1) Newcastle, and (2) Edinburgh.

As currently planned, HS2 trains will run directly to Newcastle via a connection to the East Coast Mainline. HS2 Services are currently planned to run directly to Edinburgh via a connection to the West Coast Mainline, which is dependent on the completion of Phase 2b. Proposed services will offer reduced journey times with London.

In August 2019, the Prime Minister asked Douglas Oakervee to chair an independent review of HS2 to provide advice on how and whether to proceed. The Government will set out the next steps for High Speed 2 in due course.