HS2: Rolling stock depot to be located in Leeds

The depot will be a place to store, clean and maintain the high-speed trains

High-speed trains will be maintained at a depot to be built in Leeds, creating up to 125 jobs, it has been confirmed.

The HS2 rolling stock depot will be built at Gateway 45 near the M1 rather than in the village of Crofton, Wakefield, as previously proposed.

Confirming the plan, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the depot would be a hub for training future engineers.

He said it meant Leeds would see "immediate benefits" when HS2 arrived.

Yorkshire breaking news: Three dead in collision; 'No comment' from Labour on MP reinstatement

The depot will be a place to store, clean and maintain the new high-speed trains round-the-clock.

Leeds Council, the University of Leeds, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Enterprise Partnership have welcomed news of the new depot.

What is HS2?

The initial plan is for a new railway line between London and the West Midlands carrying 400m-long (1,300ft) trains with as many as 1,100 seats per train.

They would operate at speeds of up to 250mph - faster than any current operating speed in Europe - and would run as often as 14 times per hour in each direction.

This would be followed by a V-shaped second phase taking services from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says there will be almost 15,000 seats an hour on trains between London and the cities of Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds - treble the current capacity.

Mr Grayling said: "Constructing this vital depot in Leeds underlines how the benefits of HS2 drive prosperity right across the UK, with Yorkshire playing a crucial role in maintaining the new high-speed trains and delivering significantly better journeys for passengers.

"The depot will act as an economic catalyst, creating skilled jobs, boosting the local economy by unlocking regeneration opportunities and driving continued investment.

"This ensures Leeds will not only see immediate benefits when HS2 arrives but will see Yorkshire become a thriving hub for training the engineers that HS2 and future major projects will need."

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "I welcome the news that the HS2 depot will be located at Gateway 45 in Leeds.

"It's now important that through our continued work with HS2 and the DfT that we finalise the proposals for the University of Leeds' Institute for High Speed Rail, which will be world leading in its field, and underpin the continued success of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Zone."