This week, the UK government announced the controversial route for phase 2 of "the first major railway line north of London since Victorian times." The line, dubbed HS2, will halve journey times between northern cities and to the capital.
Gwyn Topham reports on the long-awaited details for phase 2 of the £33bn HS2 project announced this week by the Department for Transport. The first phase of the project, from London to Birmingham, is planned to open in 2026.
"From 2033, the journey from Manchester to Birmingham should be cut to 41 minutes and from Manchester to London to 1hr 8min. The journey to Leeds will take 57 minutes from Birmingham, less than half the time it takes today."
"However," notes Topham, "the government has played down the speed and time savings to stress the need for extra capacity, along with the economic benefits and tens of thousands of jobs that the new infrastructure will bring. Department for Transport officials claim it will create at least 100,000 jobs."
The plan is not without considerable controversy, however. Cities including Sheffield will be dismayed by the decision to build stations outside their centers, and a direct link to Heathrow Airport "has been deferred." Futhermore, those who've protested the route of the first phase through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are incensed by a £600 million "detour" around affluent areas in Cheshire.
Hat tip to Daniel Lippman
FULL STORY: HS2 announcement: 'a vital engine for growth'
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service