'Disaster' if Sheffield misses out on HS2, Lord David Blunkett says

The Government has been urged not to forget Sheffield when the next phases of the HS2 high-speed rail link are built amid claims the eastern leg of the project to the East Midlands may be scrapped.
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In a debate on the long-awaited project in the House of Lords on Monday, veteran Sheffield politicians Lord David Blunkett and Lord Paul Scriven both urged the Government to make a commitment that the eastern leg would definitely go ahead.

The original aim for the second phase of the HS2 project was to have two branches from Birmingham, one to Manchester and the north west and one to the north east via the East Midlands and Yorkshire.

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However, suggestions have recently been made that this plan may be scrapped in favour of one leg to Manchester and Leeds, cutting out Sheffield and the East Midlands entirely.

Visuals for the proposed HS2 Euston Station.Visuals for the proposed HS2 Euston Station.
Visuals for the proposed HS2 Euston Station.

The debate saw Lords from all parties argue in favour of an amendment proposed by former transport minister Lord Andrew Adonis which called on the Government to make clear the eastern leg was still part of the Government’s plans.

He said that building the western leg without the eastern leg would be the equivalent of the Victorians building a railway to Manchester while leaving Sheffield to make do with canals.

Supporting Lord Adonis’ amendment, Lord Blunkett, the former Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, said it would be ‘a disaster’ if the city were to miss out again.

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He said: “Unless you get it on paper, unless it’s absolutely unequivocal, it is not going to happen and the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East will lose out all over again.

Lord Blunkett.Lord Blunkett.
Lord Blunkett.

“I am sick of being losers on the east of the Pennines. I want the Northern Powerhouse to be right across the north of England.

“That can only be a reality if we get this additional leg - promised from the beginning - through the East Midlands.”

Responding for the Government, transport minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said the Prime Minister's plans for the eastern leg of HS2 would be set out in the integrated rail plan in due course.

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