HS2 in Cheshire East

The Government has proposed a high-speed rail line (HS2), connecting:

• London to the West Midlands (Phase 1)
• West Midlands to Leeds and Manchester
• West Midlands to Crewe (Phase 2a)
• from Crewe to Greater Manchester and from the West Midlands to Yorkshire (Phase 2b)

It is expected that Phase 1 will be delivered by 2026, with Phase 2a delivered the following year. It is anticipated that Phase 2b will be complete by 2033. 

The Council is supportive of HS2, and believes it reinforces Cheshire East as the best place to live and do business in the North West providing that the right level of connectivity is provided through the Crewe Hub Station. The investment in a high-speed rail connection (HS2) will consolidate Cheshire East as one of the most connected areas in the UK and will support existing businesses, inward investment and job creation in and around Crewe. The latest announcements place Crewe central to the plans; the route will pass through various parts of Cheshire East, with a Hub Station at Crewe and Rolling Stock Depot north of Crewe.

You can see how the current preferred route (most recently updated in 2017) would affect Cheshire East, ward by ward. We have worked with the DfT (Department for Transport) and HS2 Ltd to protect our historic assets.