Reports


that
the
Prime
Minister
is
preparing
to
scrap
HS2
Phases
2A
and
2B
from
Birmingham
to
Crewe
and
Manchester
are
igniting
more
opposition.

It
has
been
said
that
Rishi
Sunak
wants
to
save
money
by
cutting
HS2
back
to
a
section
between
west
London
and
Birmingham,
but
it
has
been
reported
that
he
has
opposition
even
at
Cabinet
level,
where
some
miinisters
say
the
full
line
between
London
and
Manchester
should
still
go
ahead,
in
spite
of
rising
costs.

The
Mayors
of
the
city
regions
in
the
north
have
condemned
any
further
shortening
of
HS2’s
route.

Transport
for
the
North
has
added
its
voice
to
the
protests
and
support
for
HS2
in
the
region
has
been
confirmed,
with
TfN
saying
that
both
HS2
and
NPR
need
to
go
ahead,
and
that
any
further
delay
will
increase
the
costs
still
further.

The
Mayor
of
London
Sadiq
Khan
was
the
guest
at
a
TfN
meeting
in
Leeds,
where
he
backed
the
call
for
HS2
to
continue,
saying:
‘The
success
of
the
North
is
crucial
to
London’s
success.’

The
chair
of
TfN,
former
transport
secretary
Lord
McLoughlin,
added:
‘Northern
leaders
spoke
with
one
voice
today.
We
need
HS2
and
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail
built
in
full
if
we
are
to
realise
the
full
potential
of
the
North
and
to
level
up
our
national
economy.
Let
us
not
delay.’