The exact route of the high speed line to the north of England was revealed today (28 January 2013) when the Government issued detailed maps.
The 211-mile extension of the proposed 140-mile High Speed Two from London to Birmingham will generate jobs and secure Britain's future prosperity, said Prime Minister David Cameron.
Unveiling the location of stations on the route, the PM was joined by his deputy Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne, who described HS2 as an engine for growth, and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
Construction of HS2 starts in 2017 and it will open to passengers in 2026. The route from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds will open in 2032.
HS2 will be integrated with the existing national railway network, so cities beyond the high speed track up to Scotland and including Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Preston, Warrington, Lancaster, Carlisle, Durham and Darlington will benefit from new connections and substantial time savings.
Manchester city centre will be 1 hour 8 minutes from London Euston, almost half today's journey time. Leeds will be 1 hour 22 minutes away from London Euston, compared to 2 hours 12 minutes today.
HS2 will deliver £2 of benefit for every £1 spent, even before wider economic benefits are calculated.
Part of the benefit will be freeing up space on existing lines to allow more services.
The Government has announced a delay to a proposed spur to Heathrow airport while a review of aviation policy is going on. The delay means that a proposed new rail hub at Old Oak Common will be the main interchange station for passengers wanting to transfer from the new high speed network to the airport.
The maps are at DfTmaps
Information from DfT