High Peak Liberal DemocratsHazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell, is delighted that High Speed Rail is coming to Greater Manchester - one station at Manchester Piccadilly and one at Manchester Airport.
Commenting, Andrew said - "It's another big step to a stronger economic future for the North West, and shows the Coalition Government is ready to invest for the long-term."
Mr Stunell says that halving journey times to London is only one of the benefits, as the new line will allow more freight to be carried on the existing line and taken off the over-crowded M6.
"With the 'northern hub' expansion of Piccadilly, more space for more frequent and longer commuter trains on the Hazel Grove and Marple lines are possible as well."
"It's a win for local travellers as well as those going to and from London. And it can provide a boost for jobs across the region. The lessons from the rest of Europe is that a high speed line provides a lift for the whole economy."
Overall rail travel has been rising steeply in the last few years, and there are now more journeys each year than the 1920's - with only half the track. The West Coast Main Line has seen dramatic increases, and traffic on local lines has continued to grow each year - up 10% last year on the Marple lines and 9% on the Hazel Grove line.
HS2 plans involve a new station being built alongside the existing station at Manchester Piccadilly in the heart of the city. This will allow easy connections with regional rail services, such as Stockport, as well as the Metrolink and bus services. A new interchange station will provide direct links to Manchester Airport.
Connections will also be provided at various points across the HS2 network onto existing rail lines, this will contribute to firmly connecting all the major UK cities together which will deliver huge benefits to many businesses up and down the country, especially here in Stockport.
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