TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes has described as “wise and welcome” the decision by MPs to approve the second stage of the High Speed Two (HS2) rail project, which will see it extended from Birmingham to Crewe.

Last month, MPs backed the High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Bill in the House of Commons by 263 votes to 17.

It now moves to the House of Lords for consideration.

Mr Cortes said: “It is good to see MPs across the House backing HS2 and in so doing supporting the future of rail in 21st-century Britain.

“It is a wise and welcome step, and one which — in extending the service from Birmingham to Crewe — will help to secure the future of this vital project, which should go as far as the major cities in Scotland.

“HS2 is not simply about trains and capacity, it represents a golden opportunity to modernise and expand Britain’s railways as ‘green drivers’ of economic regeneration.

“In this respect, HS2 is crucial to the rebalancing of Britain’s economy, so that it doesn’t simply focus on the South East but grows jobs right down the spine of Britain.”

HS2 is proposed to open between London and Birmingham in December 2026, with a second phase in two stages: Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe will begin in 2027, followed by phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester, and Birmingham to Leeds, in 2033.

Details of the Commons HS2 vote can be found at the Web site (commonsvotes.digiminster.com/Divisions/Details/707).