02 July 2024 , 12:12
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Plans for new trains with ‘up to 50% cheaper fares’ between London and Manchester have been revealed after the HS2 drama that ended with its northern leg being cancelled.
A fleet of multi-million pound electric trains could finally be the solution to transport woes that have long plagued the capital and the north of England.
London Northwestern Railway unveiled plans to launch a new train service in the next two years after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s controversial decision to scrap the northern leg of the much-anticipated high-speed railway.
The company is now seeking permission to extend its existing service, which currently runs from London Crew to Manchester Victoria via the West Midlands.
If plans go ahead, passengers could board the fleet of Class 730 trains by the summer of 2026.
A map showing the HS2 network and what sections were scrapped (Picture: Rex Features)
The planned route will connect the West Midland towns of Rugeley, Lichfield, Tamworth and Atherstone to Manchester city centre and Warrington.
Class 730 are electric trains, manufactured in the Midlands.
The trains are set to bring more capacity to the popular route, with each 10-car train able to accommodate more than 1,200 passengers.
The trains, promoted as environmentally friendly, offer customer fares up to ‘50% cheaper than the main intercity operator,’ said Ian McConnell, managing director of London Northwestern Railway-owner West Midlands Trains.
He said: ‘This proposal puts passengers at the heart of the railway and is the common sense solution to increase connectivity between the North West and the West Midlands following the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2.
The new service from London to Manchester Victoria station could start by summer 2026 (Picture: Nigel Roddis/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
‘With platform space at Euston at a premium, the best way to provide new journey opportunities to Manchester is simply to extend existing services, rather than trying to squeeze more trains onto the congested West Coast Main Line.