In a few weeks time the government will announce its intentions regarding the HS2 link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, along with a branch to Heathrow See:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/8917955/Ditch-HS2-rail-link-at-eleventh-hour-MPs.html
Readers of this blog know that I am not in favour of ploughing so much money into this scheme which will offer only marginal improvement in travel time between Birmingham and London. I accept it will cut times between Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle to London, but my fear is it will only add to London's pull and do little for the likes of Manchester et al.
However, there is some good news around.
The government has approved funding arrangements for the reinstatement of the Todmorden Curve which will enable through trains between Burnley and Manchester via Rochdale.
The government has announced spending plans to boost the economy.
See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15914145
The major scheme is to electrify the line between Leeds and Manchester, the effect of which will be to reduce travel time between Liverpool and Newcastle by 45 minutes.
Improvement will be made to the Tyne and Wear metro system.
In London, the Northern Line will be extended to Battersea, so long as an agreement can be reached between the developers of the old Battersea power station site and the government. Interesting as this scheme is it is a pity that more pressing developments in London were not considered, including the West Hampstead interchange, expanding the Docklands Light Railway to Euston and Kings Cross/St Pancras, Croydon Tramlink, extending the Piccadilly Line to Staines and Slough, or the Bakerloo Line extended at the southern end.
Sadly, no place for the Lewes-Uckfield link in the proposals.
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