The decision to cancel the Birmingham to Manchester stretch of the HS2 rail line was made by the transport secretary before being approved by the cabinet and announced by the Prime Minister. Mark Harper confirmed that the government had done some preparation work in advance of Tuesday’s decision and said that the detailed document released on Wednesday was not hastily compiled. Harper was responding to questions regarding a video message delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, which appeared to suggest that a decision had already been made before the party conference in Manchester where ministers repeatedly denied that they had made a final decision on the project.
Harper explained that the Birmingham to Manchester stretch of the proposed HS2 project had “always been a difficult project” and was, therefore, a prime candidate for cancellation. The decision had been prompted by concerns about the financial cost of the project, which was originally estimated to be around £88bn. This was twice the original budget and involved a 20% increase in the cost of the first phase alone.
Sunak’s video message about the cancellation of HS2 raised eyebrows, particularly when Conservative MPs appeared to be avoiding questions about the project at the party conference. The chancellor’s video was later criticised for misleading viewers since it seemed to suggest that the decision to cancel the rail project had already been made before the conference.
Despite this reaction, the government remained steadfast in defending its decision and Harper stated that the cancellation of the Birmingham to Manchester stretch was “the right thing to do” in light of the concerns raised about the cost of the project. He added that the government was committed to investing in infrastructure and would continue to look for opportunities to invest in rail projects that deliver value for money
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