The future of HS2 is expected to become clear today when the Prime Minister makes a statement to the Conservative conference.
Rishi Sunak is expected to confirm that the controversial high speed rail line will see the northern stretch axed.
Some national reports have suggested HS2 trains will run to Manchester from Birmingham – but that they will use existing lines rather than new tracks.
Such a change would create uncertainty for communities around Lichfield which have been blighted by disruption during the construction works that have already taken place, with Handsacre likely to be the northern end of the line and a point of connection to the West Coast Main Line.
Former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that the Prime Minister would make the government’s position clear later today (4th October).
He told the BBC:
“Given that the world has changed and people’s travel patterns have changed since coronavirus, does it make sense to spend tens of billions of pounds?
“Or is there something else we can do that might be better? That’s what we still need to wait for in the speech today.”
Grant Shapps
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant has previously called for consideration to be given for a HS2 station at the northern end of the line if the new tracks do not continue north of the district.
He said:
“So far, Lichfield District has suffered all of the pain with none of the gain.
“I am now beginning to wonder whether there is now an argument for Lichfield to have its own station if it is now going to be the northern end of the high-speed line.
“The siting of the station could not be adjacent to the existing Lichfield Trent Valley station, but might be where the current HS2 site is placed just south of where the line tunnels underneath the A38 – there could be sufficient space for car parking and easy links to the A38.”
Michael Fabricant
