Rumours are circulating in the press that the government is about to announce that the eastern arm of HS2 is to be deferred indefinitely. There has been months of speculation that this will happen. The eastern arm is (was) planned to run from Birmingham to Leeds with a station at Toton to serve Derby and Nottingham and then on to Leeds together with a loop line to Sheffield utilising existing track.
The proposed line did not serve Leicester and was miles from Nottingham and Derby. So, what should happen now?
A few suggestions:
* The Midland Main line electrification should be extended to Leeds via Nottingham, Derby and the Erewash Valley. The line between Leeds and York is planned to be electrified as part of the Liverpool-Manchester-Leeds-Newcastle improvement scheme.
* A fast London - Leicester-Sheffield- Leeds -York service.
* Electrify the Bristol - Birmingham - Derby line.
