Integrated Rail Plan

[3][4][5][6][7] It contains the significant proviso that "In line with the Government's existing approach to rail enhancements, commitments will be made only to progress individual schemes up to the next stage of development, subject to a review of their readiness.

[10] The stated aim is to integrate several rail projects for existing main lines and some new ones, whilst driving down unnecessary costs and over-specification.

Under the previous plans Leeds would have received two new high-speed lines, a southern HS2 one from London, Birmingham and the East Midlands, and an eastern Northern Powerhouse Rail one from Manchester.

The plan has not been well received by the board of Transport for the North, with concern being expressed that assessment of benefit concentrates only on reduced journey time for passengers and does not take into account the wider social and economic implications.

The North’s rail network lacks sufficient capacity for growth and is severely constrained by on-train congestion, low journey speeds and poor punctuality.

[18]: 95 The IRP states that some lines will be upgraded by electrification, digital signalling, updated overhead wiring and include lengthening of trains.

To give rail the best chance of doing so, investment must be concentrated and at scale, and form part of a wider economic strategy including skills, development and urban transport.

This includes giving city leaders the powers and funding to develop long term strategies for improving urban transport, which can bring benefits faster than major intercity rail.

It thus significantly alters the previous HS2 programme, including curtailing much of the eastern leg[28] and reducing HS2 to a main high speed spine, from London via Birmingham to the North West of England – to a point south of Wigan.

[13] The existing stations at Derby and Nottingham will be served by HS2 trains entering the cities on conventional tracks from East Midlands Parkway.

A link is introduced from HS2 to Liverpool via a section of new HS2 line from the reinstated low-level platforms at Warrington Bank Quay and onwards via upgraded sections of the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway to Ditton junction where it joins the current line to Liverpool Lime Street.

[13] NPR and HS2 will share a west to east speed-limiting, curvaceous, high-speed track from Warrington to Manchester through Millington, where there will be a junction with the HS2 line to the south.

Leeds and Newcastle are to have reduced journey times to London and Birmingham using the conventional East Coast Main Line.

[2][44] A new high speed line is specified east from Manchester to Marsden, which is just over the border into Yorkshire, at the eastern end of the Standedge tunnels.

[13] A link is to be introduced from HS2 to Liverpool via a section of new HS2 line from the reinstated low-level platforms at Warrington Bank Quay and onwards via upgraded sections of the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway to Ditton junction where it joins the current line to Liverpool Lime Street.

NPR and HS2 will share a west to east speed-limiting, curvaceous, high-speed track from Warrington to Manchester through Millington, where there will be a junction with the HS2 line to the south.

[56][57] Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham, the metro mayors of the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester were among those who were extremely critical of the plan.

[58] The Labour Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the paring back of Northern Powerhouse Rail was even more damaging than the axing of HS2 eastern leg.

[60] Further controversy ensued when it was revealed the majority of civil servants who wrote the report don't live in the North or the Midlands.

Nigel Harris, managing editor of RAIL Magazine, called it an act of political spinelessness and stated it created a new East-West Divide in the country.

In January 2022, Harris further called Shapps and the DfT liars and said the lying and claims were shameful, dangerous, enormously damaging and could not be allowed to continue.

The issue was raised by a number of people after it was admitted that the plans had been scaled back despite lack of proper economic analysis.

[72][73] Writing about the Transport Select Committee meeting on 2 February 2022, Nigel Harris further stated that the atmosphere was "Sour, irrelevant and patronising and no way for the important TSC to do its job".