Transport experts call for quick start on Manchester 'super hub'
WORK to redevelop Manchester Piccadilly into a public transport 'super hub' should start as soon as possible, according to a new report by rail consultant Greengauge 21.
The company argues that rather than waiting for the arrival of High Speed 2 (HS2) and High Speed North (HSN) in the 2030s, the proposed new east-west underground station for high-speed services should be brought forward to alleviate congestion on current routes through Manchester.
Greengauge 21 proposes a new tunnel from Ordsall into Manchester Piccadilly from the west, which could connect to the planned HS2 and HSN routes, transforming Piccadilly into one of the country's bestconnected stations.
Fast trains from across the North West, North Wales and Scotland could travel through the new platforms, relieving the current double-track 'Castlefield Corridor' route through Deansgate, Oxford Road and Piccadilly platforms 13/14, with trains emerging east of the city centre to traverse the Pennines to Yorkshire and the North East.
Plans to build two additional platforms at Piccadilly and provide more capacity on the Castlefield Corridor were shelved by the then Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in 2017.
Removing long-distance trains from the Castlefield Corridor could help to provide capacity for frequent crosscity services from Piccadilly to Victoria serving Oxford Road, Deansgate and Salford Central via the Ordsall Chord, providing dedicated metrostyle services to nearby towns such as Rochdale, Burnley and Stockport.
The Revisiting High Speed North report also sets out the need to accelerate plans for a northern transport revolution, and proposes incremental rail developments to help kick-start the economy of northern England.
The report's authors argue that upgrades to the network need to start immediately in order to deliver benefits across northern England ahead of HS2 Phase 2b and HSN, which are not expected be completed until the 2040s.