‘Uncancelling’ HS2 is a good start – but can’t we go even further?
As a “glass half-empty” man, news about grand projects, and especially in public transport, tends to provoke cold fear rather than optimism. Try as I might, I can’t help being suspicious about the leaked announcement that the government is going to reinstate the northern extension of HS2 – a scheme freighted with such high hopes, but less well favoured in its financing and management. For a start, we’re not talking here about returning to running the high-speed railway from Euston to Manchester, but just building the “2a” section that was intended to go from Birmingham to Crewe. Tantalisingly close to Manchester, 2a has already had the necessary legislation passed to override the usual planning objections – and is the cheapest of the many options to revive HS2. Will Labour now cancel the £36bn of extra transport investment that Sunak initiated when he downgraded the high-speed line in order to refurbish existing train stations and even fix potholes?
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