End of the line
East leg of HS2 set to hit buffers
THE eastern leg of HS2 will be all but axed to save £40billion - making a mockery of Boris Johnson’s pledge to “level up”.
Plans for the rapid rail route, linking Birmingham with Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds, are to be mothballed shortly, it is understood.
The cost of HS2 has shot up from £32.7billion when approved in 2012 to £107.7billion.
Treasury chiefs reckon halting the Eastern leg, due to open by 2033, will save £40billion.
A Whitehall source said: “They might make some announcement about doing the work in the future but everyone involved knows the truth.
“They have run out of cash and there’s no way we’re going to see this built in our lifetimes.
“It shows how serious the Tories have been about levelling up all along.”
Work on the eastern part, or Phase 2b, was quietly halted last month over fears of soaring costs.
As recently as May, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps vowed to build the eastern leg in full. Critics say booting it into touch undermines the PM’S election vow to “level up” the entire economy. Leeds has already started work on a £500m station for HS2, and other projects in the city rely on it.
Labour’s Jim Mcmahon said: “It’s the same old story from this Government – zero action. Our regions deserve to have promises kept, but all the Tories offer is jam tomorrow.”
It is thought a formal announcement to knock back the scheme will be in the Integrated Rail Plan.
The much-delayed report, which will also reveal the Government’s intentions for Northern Powerhouse Rail and
the Midlands Rail Hub, was due in January.
The Department for Transport last night insisted “no decisions” had been finalised. It said: “The Integrated Rail Plan will soon outline exactly how major rail projects, including HS2 phase 2b will work together to deliver the reliable train services the North and Midlands deserve.”
Construction on the Birmingham to Manchester leg is set to continue despite being around £30billion over budget. The first phase linking London to Birmingham is pressing ahead, with costs spiralling to roughly £70billion.
Same old story. All the Tories are offering is jam
tomorrow