Twenty out of the 28 journeys highlighted in the Government’s new rail plans are longer than originally promised, i analysis shows.
Some journey times for the government’s watered down plans for HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will add up to 53 minutes more onto trips than what was first pledged.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps today promised that the downgraded plans, which have faced a furious backlash, would “slash” journey times and mean that quicker trips will be available 10 years earlier than planned.
But of the 28 journeys listed under the government’s new Integrated Rail Plan, 20 will take longer than under original HS2 and NPR plans.
Under the new proposals, an HS2 link between the East Midlands and Leeds will be scrapped, while the TransPennine route between Manchester and Leeds will mainly be improved via upgrades rather than a high-speed line.
Journey times from Birmingham to York will now take 53 minutes longer that the 57 minues originally promised, while several other services from London and the Midlands to the North are also impacted.
All services from Manchester and Leeds destined for other northern cities will now take longer than had been proposed.
Here we look at how much time the downgraded network will add on to some of the previously proposed plans.
Birmingham to York
Current journey time: 2hrs 27mins.
Original proposal: 57mins.
New plan: 1hr 50mins.
Time added: 53 mins.
Birmingham to Darlington
Current journey time: 2hrs 55mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 25mins.
New plan: 2hrs 16mins.
Time added: 51 mins.
Birmingham to Newcastle
Current journey time: 3hrs 26mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 57mins.
New plan: 2hrs 47mins.
Time added: 50 mins.
Birmingham to Leeds
Current journey time: 1hr 58mins.
Original proposal: 49mins.
New plan: 1hr 29mins.
Time added: 40mins.
London to Leeds
Current journey time: 2hrs 13mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 21mins.
New plan: 1hr 53mins.
Time added: 32mins.
London to York
Current journey time: 1hr 52mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 24mins.
New plan: 1hr 38mins.
Time added: 14mins.
Manchester to Newcastle
Current journey time: 2hrs 19mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 43mins.
New plan: 1hr 57mins.
Time added: 14mins.
London to Darlington
Current journey time: 2hrs 22mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 53mins.
New plan: 2hrs 5mins.
Time added: 12mins.
London to Newcastle
Current journey time: 2hrs 49mins.
Original proposal: 2hrs 17mins.
New plan: 2hrs 28mins.
Time added: 11mins.
Manchester to Liverpool
Current journey time: 50mins.
Original proposal: 29mins.
New plan: 35mins.
Time added: 6mins.
Manchester to Leeds
Current journey time: 55mins
Original proposal: 29mins.
New plan: 33mins.
Time added: 4mins.
Manchester to York
Current journey time: 1hr 23mins.
Original proposal: 51mins.
New plan: 55mins.
Time added: 4mins.
Manchester to Darlington
Current journey time: 1hr 55mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 17mins.
New plan: 1hr 21mins.
Time added: 4mins.
Leeds to Liverpool
Current journey time: 1hr 46min.
Original proposal: 1hr 1min.
New plan: 1hr 13min.
Time added: 12mins.
Leeds to Manchester
Current journey time: 55mins.
Original proposal: 29mins.
New plan: 33mins.
Time added: 4mins.
Leeds to Bradford
Current journey time: 20mins.
Original proposal: 8mins.
New plan: 12mins.
Time added: 4mins.
Leeds to York
Current journey time: 22mins.
Original proposal: 17mins.
New plan: 19mins.
Time added: 2mins.
Leeds to Darlington
Current journey time: 50mins.
Original proposal: 43mins.
New plan: 45mins.
Time added: 2mins.
Leeds to Newcastle
Current journey time: 1hr 21mins.
Original proposal: 1hr 14mins.
New plan: 1hr 16mins.
Time added: 2mins.
Birmingham to Manchester
Current journey time: 1hr 26min.
Original proposal: 41mins.
New plan: 41-51mins.
Time added: 10mins on longer services.
