HS2 high-speed rail network will connect Leeds & Manchester
Plans for a new high-speed train line connecting some of the UK's major cities have recently been announced and we've been thinking about how this could affect our customers in the future.
Government officials revealed details about a preferred route running northwards from Birmingham along two branches, stopping at newly built stations in Toton (near Nottingham), Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and Manchester Airport. So this service will certainly be available to those of you that use our car parks in Leeds and Manchester.
The HS2 is said to reach speeds of up to 250mph, which will practically halve the journey time between Birmingham and Leeds, as well as Birmingham and Manchester. Travelling between London and Manchester will also be reduced by about an hour.
One benefit this could bring to our customers is that they should be able to park at one of our car parks in the Manchester Piccadilly area and get aboard the train to London. There will be a much shorter journey time and it will be far more convenient if you're commuting from the North to the country's capital.
Keith Wakefield, the leader of Leeds City Council, has welcomed this news saying “It will strengthen Leeds' position as the northern transport hub, and unlock major investment, job opportunities and connectivity to the rest of the country.â€
Construction on the line will hopefully commence during the middle of the next decade and will open in around 2032-33, according to the BBC.
Although this is a long way off, we still want to start preparing for it now, so that our customers are in the best possible position to take advantage of this exciting new service when the time comes!