Minister denies Yorkshire leg of HS2 to be ‘ delayed indefinitely’

A GOVERNMENT Minister says it is “simply untrue” to say the Eastern leg of HS2 going through Leeds and Yorkshire is to be scrapped.

High speed rail Minister Andrew Stephenson tweeted in response to claims by Labour’s former transport secretary Lord Adonis, who said the Government

was “delaying indefinitely” the Yorkshire leg of the project.

Plans for HS2 involve Phase 1 running from London to Birmingham, Phase 2a from Birmingham to Crewe, and Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester, and from Birmingham to Leeds.

The Government says it is prioritising the Western Leg over the Yorkshire leg “as part of our overall commitment to improving connectivity to the North as quickly as we can”.

Details of how HS2 and NPR, which will connect the big cities of the North, will connect with each other will be set out in the Integrated Rail Plan later this year. Mr Stephenson wrote in a report: “On the Eastern Leg, the Government is considering the best approach to get the most benefit for Leeds, the North- East, and the East Midlands as part of the IRP. I expect to respond separately to the Eastern Leg refinements after the IRP has been published.”

Lord Adonis wrote on Twitter:

“The Government is only now going ahead with the Manchester leg of HS2 and is delaying indefinitely the eastern leg to Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby.

“By deferring decisions on ( the) eastern leg of HS2 while confirming ( the) Manchester leg, the Leeds leg will probably not now go ahead. Phase 2b will probably become just Manchester.” But Mr Stephenson wrote in reply: “This is simply untrue.”

He added: “We’ve always been clear that the Eastern leg is being considered under our Integrated Rail Plan, which by the end of the year will outline how we will deliver better more reliable services across the North and Midlands.”