Council to lobby HS2 again over ‘concerns’ in planned M56 and …

Manchester City Council plans to contest 'issues of particular concern' contained in proposed changes to the law that would bring the controversial HS2 railway to the region. They include 'major' changes ^[1] to junction six of the M56 motorway and nearby highways, together with the design's impact on Metrolink.

The high-speed, north-south line from Manchester to London via Birmingham and Crewe would be built over decades in phases. Phase '2b' would connect Crewe to Manchester, with the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill submitted to Parliament last January.

Manchester is fully supportive of HS2 and the vast benefits it should bring, but wants an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly ^[2] instead of a surface level one. The Bill would grant powers and permission for HS2 Ltd to build and operate the railway, together with the creation of new HS2 stations at Piccadilly and at Manchester Airport, along with a tunnel from Davenport Green to Ardwick.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here ^[3] for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

Plans for the tunnel include ventilation shafts at Junction 3A of the M56 motorway; at Withington Golf Club on Palatine Road; a site near the Christie Hospital on Wilmslow Road and near Fallowfield retail park on Birchfield Road, reveals a council report.

The council 'petitioned' against elements of the Bill as it stood, with the leader of Manchester city council, councillor Bev Craig, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) officials and Manchester Central MP, Lucy Powell, all pressing home Manchester's case to MPs for a four-platform, underground HS2 rail station at Piccadilly,^[4] rather than the six-platform, turn-back station above ground contained in the Bill, at hearings of the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill Select Committee in the Commons last month.

The government's current plan, the committee's MPs were told by Manchester delegates, involves bringing high speed trains to the city on 'ugly and intrusive' concrete stilts ^[5], with the council arguing it would swallow up half a million square metres of prime city centre land which could be used to create 14,000 jobs, much-needed housing and new green spaces.

Concept design for underground Piccadilly station (Image: MCC)

Ardwick and Beswick, the MPs heard, would be 'blighted' by 15-metre high concrete viaducts and tram lines would also have to be severed, leaving Ashton with no Metrolink services for two years.

Any decisions on the arguments put forward by Manchester delegates at the hearings are expected later this year, but HS2 Ltd announced a series of proposed alterations to the Bill in the aftermath on June 3.

The council said 'a number of changes' impact it and other Greater Manchester local authorities, as well as TfGM and Manchester Airport. It's now proposed that the council submit another petition based on aspects that 'adversely affect the city' with another select committee appearance likely, although negotiations could also be held.

"The council's petition will be in alignment and consistent with those of other GM partners, whilst emphasising and highlighting issues of particular concern for the city," said a paper due to be considered by the council's executive committee. "It should also be noted that this petition will cover the changes proposed and not seek to repeat the concerns included within the original petition, which still stand."

The council said the new design for the reconfiguring and relocation of junction six of the M56 now accounts for Northern Powerhouse Rail traffic demand. "The proposed solution is a very large junction, located in a relatively constrained area," adds the paper.

HS2 in London (Image: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)

The council said a reinstatement of the Hale 16 footpath was welcome, but 'provisions are still not sufficient for the numbers of people anticipated to access the airport station by foot or cycle'.

"Further key issues which we plan to petition on are the extent of the land take, which we believe to be excessive, and the visual impact on local communities. Both of these issues particularly affect Ringway parish," it adds.

"The proposals also involve the direct loss of non-designated heritage assets such as Keeper's Cottage, and raise concerns about the long term viability of Yewtree House. There is a concern regarding the proximity of the M56 Junction 6 slip road to the Global Logistics Hub and the removal of the lorry park and the consequent impact on the Amazon warehouse and the Hut Group.

"The size of the new junction impacts on TfGM’s proposed tram train route. The increased size of the new M56 junction six design conflicts with the ability to deliver the southwest tram train route."

Concerns are raised around planned changes to car parking, road junctions and impacts to Sunbank Wood and Cotterill Clough, west of the airport. The petition is also likely to raise new plans for ventilation shafts and a new electricity sub station on Ashton Old Road.

References

^{^} They include 'major' changes (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^{^} but wants an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^{^} by clicking here (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^{^} all pressing home Manchester's case to MPs for a four-platform, underground HS2 rail station at Piccadilly, (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^{^} involves bringing high speed trains to the city on 'ugly and intrusive' concrete stilts (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)