Rishi Sunak announces plans to scrap HS2 phase 2

PM Rishi Sunak took to the stage at the Conservative Party Conference today, answering to speculation surrounding the future of HS2’s phase 2 between Birmingham and Manchester.

He said, “I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project and in its place, we will reinvest every single penny. £36bn in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands across the country.”

The Prime Minister used the announcement to make promises over new areas of Transport investment across the United Kingdom including:

• Building the Midlands Rail Hub, connecting 50 stations.
• Extending the West Midlands Metro.
• Developing the Leeds tram, electrify the North Wales main line.
• Upgrades to major road networks.
• Better connection between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Fund the Shipley bypass, the Blyth relief road and deliver 70 other road schemes.
• Upgrade the energy coast line between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow.

Discussing the scrapping of HS2 as well as the Prime ministers new promises, Zoë Billingham, director of IPPR North, said: “The government has played fast and loose with HS2 and scrapping the Manchester leg is a betrayal of the North. New promises heard today to redeploy HS2 funding, across the whole country, not only undermines levelling up but also lacks credibility.”

Discussing the economic implications of scrapping HS2, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s head of policy and public impact, James Watkins said: “With the announcement to cut the HS2 leg between Birmingham to Manchester, the ability for Manchester to benefit from economic growth in London will be impaired by this decision.

“Businesses in the capital expected a high speed rail ink that would boost productivity and growth not just for London but for the Midlands and the North West. While the Prime Minister states that the money saved can be used for new rail connections in the North West, our discussions with Manchester City Council has indicated that this is easier said than done.”

The Conservative Party Mayor for the West Midlands, Andy Street, has been vocal in his support of HS2 saying, “it (HS2) has become about a lot more than just a railway, it has become a debate about Britain’s ability to do the top stuff successfully, as previous generations of Britons certainly did, and of course now, it has become a debate about Britain’s credibility as a place to invest.”

The West Midlands Mayor is considering resigning in response to the Governments decision to abandon HS2.

Henrietta Brealey, CEO of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, added: “While the Prime Minister’s speech was full of big promises, it was short on the practical reality of what cancelling Phase 2 of HS2 at this late stage actually means.

“No Phase 2 means no enhanced capacity for passengers or freight between Birmingham and Manchester. A huge amount of cost and disruption has already been incurred to prepare for Phase 2. Many projects, including some of those he highlighted, are predicated on the arrival of HS2.

“Faith in the government to deliver on the long-term investments that this country needs to grow has been hugely damaged. It is time for the Prime Minister to be transparent on the costs of scrapping HS2 Phase 2 and how long it’ll be before any of the projects he listed come to fruition, given that these savings won’t become a reality until the 2030s.”

HS2 was also seen as a key infrastructure step to enable other rail improvements, including the Northern Powerhouse Rail project linking up Northern cities.

Mayoral candidate for the Labour Party Kim McGuinness said: “The North East urgently needs transport investment, but after 13 years of broken Tory promises the chances of this latest offer being delivered in full are slim.

“Today we saw the Tory’s plan for UK investment, London got both high speed rail and a new east/west railway with Crossrail, the North is told ‘you can’t have both’.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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