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HS2 IN MANCHESTER
As a supporter of HS2, the last thing (but one) I want is for its benefits to be exaggerated leading to disappointment, but Chris Stokes (‘Between the Lines’, last month) is unduly pessimistic as to the released capacity effects of HS2 Phase 2b.
Mr Stokes misses two fundamental points. First, he fails to mention the evening peak at all. But in the evening not only is the full inter-city service operating so that there is more to release, but crowding tends to be worst as the local and inter-city peaks coincide. Removal of two out of three London services will make a big difference to this, not only in terms of paths released but also in removing the uncomfortable mix of a 20-minute interval to London with local services operating at 15- and 30-minute intervals.
Even in the morning peak, the…
