Study launched to assess HS2 options for Leeds

The Leeds Study will consider capacity at Leeds Station and consider local views, plus factors including disruption, economic development, value for money, affordability, deliverability and timescales.

The study was included in the 2021 Integrated Rail Plan for the North and the Midlands, with terms of reference delivered on July 17, 2023.

The 2021 Integrated Rail Plan also included plans to upgrade and electrifying the existing line between Bradford Interchange and Leeds, which the government said it is committed to. If implemented, the modified line could deliver a 12-minute journey time between the two cities and help decarbonise the railway within the next decade.

Evidence to improve connectivity in Bradford, including an examination of the case for a new station, is subject to reassessment also.

The announcement comes as the government formally responds to the Transport Select Committee’s report on the Integrated Rail Plan. As part of this, the Department for Transport outlined to the committee that it expects to complete the Leeds Study in 2025.

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for the High-Speed Rail Group said: “Only by delivering high speed rail right across the north, to cities like Leeds and Bradford, can we unlock all of the jobs, investment and economic growth HS2 can offer.

“It is 18 months since the plans to take the eastern leg of HS2 to Leeds were stalled, and it will now be at least 18 more months until we have new options to bring high speed rail to Yorkshire. We urge the DfT to do all it can to ensure this new review is decisive and then acted upon so that the current state of limbo drags on no longer. Swift action must be taken to demonstrate to the people of Leeds that bringing HS2 to their city is an urgent priority. When delivering any large infrastructure project, careful deliberation is needed to ensure optimal efficiency and value. At the same time, it is essential no city or region feels left behind by HS2.”