The Prime Minister’s decision to axe the second phase of HS2 was a brave one, Lichfield’s MP has said.
Rishi Sunak confirmed the line would not continue north to Manchester as had been originally planned.
Conservative MP Michael Fabricant said the confirmation was welcome for local communities.
“The announcement to cancel this costly project was a brave decision by the Prime Minister – and is the right one.
“It ends years of worry for my constituents to the north of Lichfield who would have been badly affected by the construction of Phase 2 to Manchester.
“Phase 1 will be completed. This not only includes the HS2 line from London to Birmingham, but up to where it joins the west coast main line near Handsacre just north of Lichfield.
“The works around Lichfield and Fradley will, of course, continue as it was always a part of Phase 1. Without that leg of Phase 1, HS2 cannot connect with Manchester and the north via the West Coast Main Line.”
Michael Fabricant
The decision has not been welcomed in all quarters, however, with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce saying the move had been a case of “short term cuts and long term questions”.
Henrietta Brealey, CEO of the organisation, said:
“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.
“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.
“All we really have right now are short-term cuts and long term questions.”
Henrietta Brealey, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce
Criticism has also come from West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, who had urged the government to look at private alternatives in order to ensure the line could be built in full.
But Mr Fabricant said continuing with the HS2 project would create too much uncertainty for residents and businesses along the route.
“While I know that the West Midlands Mayor was investigating other forms of funding HS2 to Manchester using private finance, homes and businesses along the route would have been blighted by uncertainty and falling property values until private funding was found.
“I know from Phase 1 how unsettling that is to people.
“I have long advocated that by upgrading parts of the West Coast Main Line, high speed trains can be run at near high speed from Manchester to where it joins HS2 when it can then run even faster down to London Euston.
“I have opposed HS2 from since when the Labour Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis, changed the route from the ARUP plan which would have linked the line direct to Paris. That would have made some sense.
“But Labour’s HS2 route – later adopted by David Cameron – was always flawed.”
Michael Fabricant
32 billion saved, er nothing do do with the funding of a taxation reduction just before the next GM
An abject failure by Government to manage public finances, money wasted by gross mismanagement of this project that three Conservative manifestos have committed to. Expenditure and project management totally out of control well before Covid, the Russian invasion and the current wave of inflation. Now a series of new fantasy promises, how many of those schemes will be brought to fruition? Broken Britain deserves better, time for a REAL change.
He would have said just the opposite if Rishi aproved it that the sat he has worked for years, well worked is stretching it
It’s not entirely true that the works around Fradley continue as “always part of Phase One” The line splits at Fradley with a southern branch connecting to the existing west coast main line, but a northern branch of what would have been the continuation of HS2 northwards. Work has already taken place on that, including destruction of the mature woodland just south of the Fradley canal junction – all of that destruction is now for no reason. Will new tees be planted?
Why do people forget this was a Labour conceived project they fully back ask Andy Burnham
Why would anyone getting the train between Euston and Manchester pay extra to get HS2 via Birmingham. The existing Avanti service would be quicker and shorter running along the Trent Valley line between Rugby and Colwich onwards through Stone and Stoke. This back of a fag packet plan to join the West Coast at Handsacre is not needed and will not ease congestion on the Northern part of the West Coast route. The green land destroyed north of Birmingham might as well be tarmaced and provide a relief road for the congested A38. As for the money being spent on other projects they were supposed to have been done over the past 13 years POTHOLES
I’m not surprised it’s all been scrapped the costs are enormous mostly taken up in all the construction companies bet they’ve made millions out of it so far , all those portable cabins stacked up , all the machinery, so much equipment standing around , you only have to look around to see the wasted money, not to mention all the hire costs of this stuff.
ATory decision, Tory management and a Tory failure. Nothing to do with any other political party!
Bert, you are wtong Labour project and still supported ask Burnham
Just another failure to add to this dysfunctional governments list!
Worst government in history..
Where are the BILLIONS they have squandered?
@None benefifs, the reason it’s been cancelled is because its been badly mismanaged in the same way as the economy and public finances have been mismanaged. The country’s national debt is well over £2 trillion, up from the £1 trillion they inherited. We can no longer afford it, even with record tax levels. Broken Britain deserves better and REAL change!
Now that we have some idea of the government’s decisions re HS2, may I direct the thoughts of the scheme’s opponents toward the long term effects on the country’s transport.
We must now rely on the existing rail network, which operates at or near 100% capacity.
Any attempt to increase long distance travel will have to involve a reduction in local services, as paths for shorter distance, slower trains are transferred to expresses. As one example, additional trains from London to Manchester could be pathed if the LNWR service calling at Nuneaton, Lichfield and Tamworth was cut. Residents could still begin their journeys by travelling to Birmingham New Street.
With limited north – south rail capacity, flying becomes a more attractive option and a third runway at Heathrow becomes more likely.
New road widening / building schemes are inevitable.
Airline ticketing on trains and increased prices will be used to control overcrowding.
Good luck.
None Benififs
Please read what I said, not what you wished to think. The word used was decision, not project.