Reports that the Prime Minister is preparing to scrap HS2 Phases 2A and 2B from Birmingham to Crewe and Manchester are igniting more opposition.
It has been said that Rishi Sunak wants to save money by cutting HS2 back to a section between west London and Birmingham, but it has been reported that he has opposition even at Cabinet level, where some ministers say the full line between London and Manchester should still go ahead, in spite of rising costs.
The Mayors of the city regions in the north have condemned any further shortening of HS2’s route.
Transport for the North has added its voice to the protests and support for HS2 in the region has been confirmed, with TfN saying that both HS2 and NPR need to go ahead, and that any further delay will increase the costs still further.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was the guest at a TfN meeting in Leeds, where he backed the call for HS2 to continue, saying: ‘The success of the North is crucial to London’s success.’
The chair of TfN, former transport secretary Lord McLoughlin, added: ‘Northern leaders spoke with one voice today. We need HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail built in full if we are to realise the full potential of the North and to level up our national economy. Let us not delay.’