High Speed 2 Research Help

[zil]

Hi, I am doing research on High Speed 2 and wondered if anyone can help me on a few points:

1. Will the HS2 network mean a restructuring of franchise routes such as West Coast and Cross Country or will HS2 run independently of current franchises and just have limited station stops? (or will it run regardless and just take a large share of current franchises markets?)

2. Any idea which Train Operating Company(s) will run the HS2 network when eventually completed (anyone know of any good articles on this?). - or is it still anyones to bid for, due to its early stage.

3. Is high speed 2 definitely going ahead?

Apologies for my limited knowledge and thanks for any help!

 

[FrozenPoints]

1. No

2. No

3. Well, almost

 

[WatcherZero]

To clarify a bit on question one, the next WCML franchise will end at the same time HS2 is due to open, this is intentional to allow for remapping of services which may be of a different shape (more commuter less intercity) and because the economics (passenger flows) will have fundamentally changed.

 

[ainsworth74]

2. Far far to early to know who will be running HS2, come back in about 6+ years

 

[brianthegiant]

Regarding the part of your question about independence, I think the operation of HS2 will be a seperate franchise in the same way that the HS1 franchise has just been leased. But I would expect other operators with suitably fast stock (e.g.eurostar, DB) to be able to bid to use the line, in the same way they do with HS1 & the channel tunnel.

btw what is the nature of your research? academic / commercial / campaign group?

 

[zil]

Thanks for all your help.

- Watcher Zero: Thanks that's a useful point about WCML coinciding - I'll have a further look into that.

- Brian: It's academic, for a project I'm doing and thanks for the info regarding potential operators.

Cheers