Sunak to scrap HS2 northern leg

On 5 October, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the government will scrap plans to build the northern leg of High Speed Two, also known as HS2.

The Prime Minister made the announcement during his keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, following weeks of media speculation about the fate of the project.

This announcement is the latest in a series of setbacks to HS2 over the last few years. In 2021, the government cancelled the eastern leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Leeds. In 2022, they announced the cancellation of the Golborne Link, which would have connected HS2 to the West Coast Main Line and therefore improved rail capacity.

The construction of HS2 has had a significant impact on the area surrounding the University of Warwick. At its closest, the route runs less than a kilometre from the edge of campus. Construction works have led to some temporary closures and delays to road users in the local area.

Andy Street, the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands called the decision “incredibly disappointing” and pledged to continue fighting to build the line in full

The northern leg’s cancellation has been criticised by local business leaders, with the Chair of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce calling it a wasted opportunity and the “opposite of levelling up”.

Andy Street, the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands, called the decision “incredibly disappointing” and pledged to continue fighting to build the line in full.

The first projected cost estimate for HS2 was £33 billion, but costs have spiralled nearly threefold to £91 billion in part due to inflationary pressures. The hefty price tag has long been a source of criticism, including within the Conservative Party.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North East Somerset and long-time HS2 critic, called the northern leg’s dissolution “very sensible”, arguing the money would be better spent on other transport priorities.

HS2 has also faced sustained criticism from some campaigners who argue the project will harm wildlife habitats and destroy ancient woodland sites.

The Prime Minister refused to commit to the full completion of the line to London Euston station, stating that this would only happen if it was funded through private investment

Alongside the announcement, the Prime Minister announced a new scheme of transport projects called “Network North”, supposedly funded through the £36 billion cost savings from cancelling the northern leg.

In plans published by the government, £9.6 billion will be earmarked for the Midlands. Plans include the ‘Midlands Rail Hub’, which will connect 50 railway stations, as well as improvements to the region’s A-roads.

However, according to the opposition Labour Party, the plans do not entirely comprise new schemes.

The party argues 85% of the proposed projects have already been promised by the Government in the last 13 years.

Furthermore, Network North has been criticised for including projects that have already been completed, such as the tram link to Manchester Airport which has in fact been operational since 2014.

All that now remains of the HS2 project is its first phase linking Birmingham and London. Under current plans, trains will first run between Birmingham and Old Oak Common, situated in London’s western suburbs, between 2029 and 2033.

There is currently no timeline for when HS2 will reach central London. In his announcement, the Prime Minister refused to commit to the full completion of the line to London Euston station, stating that this would only happen if it was funded through private investment.

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, said he cannot promise that the construction of HS2 to Manchester would happen if Labour won power following the next general election, arguing the government has “taken a wrecking ball” to the project.

Alongside the leg’s cancellation, the government has stated that land between Birmingham and Manchester, initially subject to compulsory purchase orders as part of HS2, would be authorised for sale. This means that resuming construction of the northern leg would be more expensive, as any land that is sold would have to be repurchased.