Longer tunnel and new depot planned for HS2 Phase 2a

A longer tunnel south of Crewe, revised connections to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and a relocated construction railhead are planned for Phase 2a of High Speed 2, which will run from the West Midlands to Crewe and open in 2027.

The changes are detailed in the Design Refinement Consultation, issued on September 13.

The proposed tunnel under Crewe will be extended south by around 2,100 metres, with the tunnel portal re-sited south of the A500 and Weston Lane. This will mean less disruption to the West Coast Main Line and Basford Hall yard, as well as fewer road closures. The Department for Transport has concluded that it will be significantly simpler to build, and will reduce the visual intrusion of the railway while costing around the same as the current plan.

Should the tunnel at Crewe be extended, the proposed connections to the WCML will also be relocated.

The original plans envisaged a northbound spur passing over or through sidings at Basford Hall, while the southbound connection would join the route near Weston Lane, south of Crewe. However, the revised plans involve diverting the western track of the WCML to the west, with two additional tracks running parallel for freight traffic, close to the A500 road.

The final proposed change is relocation of the planned construction railhead at West Basford close to Stone. It follows an investigation which concluded that the railway could otherwise only be built from north to south from Crewe, whereas a facility halfway along the route would allow construction in both directions simultaneously.

The investigation also highlighted that road access from the M6 would be better, and that it could act as a permanent infrastructure maintenance depot, rather than the facility planned in Crewe.

Consultation closes on November 7, with responses to be submitted via www.gov.uk/hs2