Following the scrapping of the northern leg of the HS2 high speed rail link, the British Prime Minister has pledged billions for transportation projects across the country. In a speech at the Conservative party conference, Rishi Sunak revealed that £36 billion would be spent on alternative rail, road, and bus schemes instead. This decision was made after the confirmation that the Birmingham-Manchester leg of HS2 would be ditched due to huge costs and long delays.
Although the government insists that the saved £36 billion will be reinvested in every region outside of London, the GMB union has accused them of abandoning their mission to “level up” different areas of the UK outside of London. They warn that the decision will “send a shockwave through the construction industry and railway supply chain, costing hundreds of jobs”.
As a high-speed rail project intended to link London, the Midlands, and the north of England, the HS2 has already faced delays, cost increases, and cuts, including the planned eastern leg between Birmingham and Leeds, which was axed in late 2021. The last official estimate on HS2 costs, excluding the cancelled eastern section, was about £71 billion. In addition, the scheme has not accounted for the rise in costs for materials and wages since then.
To address the transportation issues facing the country, the Prime Minister has announced that hundreds of alternative projects will be funded. His plans will see building the Midlands rail hub, connecting 50 stations, the upgrading of the A1, A2, A5, and M6, building a Leeds tram system, funding the Shipley bypass, the Blyth relief road, and 70 other road schemes, electrifying train lines in North Wales, and resurfacing roads across the country. Although the Prime Minister stated that it would be possible to travel from Manchester to Hull in 84 minutes on a fully-electrified line, it is not yet clear what decision has been made on the Northern Powerhouse Rail project, which is designed to improve connections between Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool.
Despite the government’s claims and attempts to address transportation issues across the country, the announcement has been met with frustration and anger from Northern leaders. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham stated that it always appears that people from the Northern region are treated as second-class citizens when it comes to transportation. However, the government has vowed to get a grip on the costs of the project and deliver far more growth and opportunity outside London with quicker results
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