Work with us, let's look again

COUNCIL LEADER IN PLEA TO MPs OVER HS2 PLANS

- PAUL BRITTON

A FOUR-PLATFORM, underground HS2 rail station at Piccadilly is 'the best solution for Manchester and the north, a committee of MPs was told.

The leader of Manchester council, Bev Craig, delivered an impassioned plea to Government to work with Manchester to change the current plans.

Addressing the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill Select Committee at the Commons, she said the 'world would be different' 20 years from now and more people would travel by train.

"I don't want people in Manchester, residents or visitors alike, to look around the city and think 'what on earth were they thinking, concrete stilts cutting off sections of the city," she said.

"Not future-proofing a significant investment. Wondering why when we had the chance we didn't build it once, and we didn't build it right." Coun Craig said Manchester was a 'realistic and pragmatic city, and urged the government through the committee: "Work with us, let's look again." Delegates from Manchester are giving evidence to the committee again into next week. Manchester argues that the current plans for a surface HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly aren't suitable and are short-sighted.