More HS2 trains through Crewe could be “major saving” on £56 billion project

“A Major saving” could be found in the cost of HS2 if Crewe gets five to seven trains an hour, transport chiefs have been told.

The Government announced in March it is backing updated plans for the Crewe hub, which would support up to seven high-speed trains an hour.

Pete Waterman (pictured), chairman of the Cheshire and Warrington local transport body, has now revealed this could lead to crucial savings for the HS2 project – which is estimated to cost £56 billion.

He told members at Friday’s meeting: “The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed we are going to re-look at the way we go north of Crewe.

“All the original work was done on the two trains an hour principal. If we go to five or seven trains an hour, it changes quite drastically the dynamic of what we do.

“We believe that there could be a major saving – and I mean major – by changing the way we go out of Crewe.”

Mr Waterman told members that parts of the original plan for the Crewe to Manchester phase – including the tunnel and junction at Crewe North, and the Golborne Link near Warrington – will be revisited to take into account the additional trains expected to stop at Crewe.

He said he did not want to go into further detail on the changes that could be made before Network Rail and HS2 have considered whether they are feasible – but he suggested that they could improve the railway for local passengers by “more than we ever dreamed of”.

He added: “Everyone has agreed to go back and look at it in a different light. As you can imagine, five extra trains an hour makes a big difference.

“The original thought was that to stop trains at Crewe would be to delay trains to Manchester, and there would be a cost of that.

“Now that you are going to delay them anyway by stopping them at Crewe, you have changed the dynamic.”

Richard Perry, from the DfT, told members that Chris Grayling, secretary of state for transport, would confirm whether or not Crewe will take five to seven high-speed trains in Parliament.

Philip Cox, chief executive of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “All of the work that is being done in Crewe by Network Rail, HS2 and the DfT is on the basis of five to seven trains an hour.

“It is correct to say that the secretary of state is yet to take a decision on Crewe.

“But I doubt that all those parties would be happy to spend money as they are on the five to seven train option if the secretary of state was to throw it out.”