HS2 sets out stall for reaching Scotland

Options for taking high speed rail into Scotland have been set out by HS2 Ltd, in a report commissioned to study ways of reducing train journey times between London and Edinbugh and Glasgow to three hours or less. The UK and Scottish goverments have pledged to work together to bring Scotland's central belt to within three hours of London by rail. It currently takes four and a half hours to get from London to Glasgow by train. Edinburgh is four hours 23 minutes from Kings Cross.

The new report lays out the possibilities for reducing journey times either by upgrading the existing east and west coast lines, or extending the high speed rail network after completion of Phase Two of HS2, currently expected to arrive in Manchester and Leeds in 2033.

HS2 is due to reach Crewe in 2027 after delivery of the spur from Birmingham was accelerated. This will reduce journeys from London to Glasgow to three hours 43 minutes. Completion of Phase Two to Manchester and Leeds will cut the time to Glasgow to 3hrs 38 and reduce London-Edinburgh to 3hrs 39.

The new HS2 report says reducing journeys to within 3hrs promises up to £6bn annually in economic benefit and additional revenue beyond Phase Two, but at a hefty price. Upgrading the east and west coast routes would need up to 220km of new railway bypassing existing lines, costing up to £20bn.

A full high speed network to both Edinburgh and Glasgow would involve construction of 330km of new high speed railway. The options laid out are for a single spur up from either Manchester or Leeds, connecting with an Edinburgh-Glasgow high speed line at its mid point. This could reduce journey times from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh to 2hrs 30. The approximate cost is put at £27bn-£43bn.

Scottish and UK governments have said they will commission work in 2017 to identify the best business case for cutting journeys to 3hrs. The preferred option will be taken forward from 2019.

Prior to 2014 Holyrood was sticking to its plan of pushing on with development of high speed rail between Edinburgh and Glasgow regardless of how quickly it reached the central belt from England. This was dropped from Scotland's 2015 Infrastructure Plan after a 2014 draft business case showed a high speed Edinburgh-Glasgow line was not feasible until a cross-border link was completed.