Lichfield’s MP has questioned whether amendments to the HS2 project should see the city given its own station on any revamped plan for the line.
Speculation is mounting over whether or not the controversial high speed rail project will be scaled back.
National reports have suggested the northern leg of the line beyond Lichfield may not go ahead, while the southern stretch may also be terminated early.
Now Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant has questioned how the local community who have faced years of disruption may be able to benefit from any rethink..
He said:
“With growing speculation regarding the future of HS2, should Lichfield have its own HS2 station?
“With spiralling costs and the Government’s own Infrastructure and Projects Authority saying that delivery of High Speed 2 is ‘unachievable’, I have been pressing the Government to end construction of the line where it joins the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre if not scrap the whole thing.
“I don’t think the Government will do the latter as the cost of restoring the land would be astronomical, but ending the line at Handsacre makes sense as high speed trains can then carry on up north to Manchester and beyond using the existing track albeit not at 180mph.
“So far, Lichfield District has suffered all of the pain with none of the gain.
“I am now beginning to wonder whether there is now an argument for Lichfield to have its own station if it is now going to be the northern end of the high-speed line.
“The siting of the station could not be adjacent to the existing Lichfield Trent Valley station, but might be where the current HS2 site is placed just south of where the line tunnels underneath the A38 – there could be sufficient space for car parking and easy links to the A38.”
Michael Fabricant
Former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said over the weekend that it would be “crazy” if the government did not rethink HS2 due to continual increases in the cost of the project.
Sir Michael said the reasons not to have a new stop serving the district would reduce if the project was scaled back.
“If HS2 were to continue unchanged, a Lichfield station would not be on the cards – but if it were at the head of the line, the argument becomes much stronger.
“So, this is all hypothetical, but is possible from an engineering standpoint.
“The question is would Lichfield want this? I will be taking soundings with the district council and would welcome feedback from constituents.”
Michael Fabricant
