25.5 C
Manchester
Thursday, July 10, 2025
TransportBitter blow for the North: HS2 link connecting Birmingham to Manchester scrapped

Bitter blow for the North: HS2 link connecting Birmingham to Manchester scrapped

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the cancellation of the HS2 high-speed rail link connecting Birmingham and Manchester.

The decision follows the previous cancellation of the portion between the East Midlands and Leeds.

In lieu of these developments, Sunak revealed plans to allocate £36 billion towards alternative transportation projects.

Originally conceived as a comprehensive high-speed rail network linking London with major cities in the Midlands and North of England, the project has now been significantly scaled back to focus primarily on the Birmingham to London corridor.

The primary goals of HS2 were to reduce travel times, alleviate congestion on existing rail networks, and stimulate economic growth in regions beyond the capital.

Persistent challenges

However, HS2 faced persistent challenges such as delays, escalating costs, and budget cuts.

The grand vision of connecting London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds has been progressively dismantled.

In 2021, the government chose to forego the construction of the Leeds leg and opted instead to enhance existing rail routes to accommodate HS2 trains.

HS2 will not go to Manchester

In June, the government said it would still build HS2 from London Euston to Manchester and the East Midlands.

But the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said the costs were “totally out of control”.

At the Conservative party conference, Sunak said the latest decision would save £36bn, which would be used instead in hundreds of new transport projects – including road and rail schemes – in the North and the Midlands, “and across the country”.

HS2 will now eventually run from London to Birmingham Interchange, with branches to central Birmingham and Handsacre, near Lichfield.

HS2 trains for Manchester, Liverpool and Scotland will join the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre.

Before the link was scrapped, HS2 was projected to take an hour off Manchester to London journeys – from just over two hours to just over one hour.

Helen Greaney
Helen Greaney
I'm a journalist with more than 18 years' experience on local, regional and national newspapers, as well as PR and digital marketing. Crime and the courts is my specialist area but I'm also keen to hear your stories concerning Manchester and the greater North West region.
Latest

Your Help Hub Extends Handyman Services Nationwide Amid Surging UK Demand

Your Help Hub, a fast-growing name in home maintenance and improvement, has launched its handyman services nationwide to better serve the needs of customers...

Reliable auto locksmith services in Manchester: Everything you need to know

Car keys are essential to our daily lives, yet they are more vulnerable than we might think. In the lively city of Manchester, where...

Hillbrush Debuts Tornado Broom Range for Tough Outdoor Cleaning Environments

Hillbrush has launched its innovative Hillbrush Tornado Range — a robust, modular broom system designed to raise the bar for strength, reliability, and outdoor...

Blaugranagram Partners with 101 Great Goals to Deliver Deeper Fan-Focused Football Content

101 Great Goals has officially entered into a strategic content partnership with Blaugranagram, aiming to enrich the football experience for fans by combining their...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

Hillbrush Debuts Tornado Broom Range for Tough Outdoor Cleaning Environments

Hillbrush has launched its innovative Hillbrush Tornado Range — a robust, modular broom system designed to raise the bar for strength, reliability, and outdoor...

Your Help Hub Extends Handyman Services Nationwide Amid Surging UK Demand

Your Help Hub, a fast-growing name in home maintenance and improvement, has launched its handyman services nationwide to better serve the needs of customers...

Reliable auto locksmith services in Manchester: Everything you need to know

Car keys are essential to our daily lives, yet they are more vulnerable than we might think. In the lively city of Manchester, where...

More News

Pioneering project to change way people travel in Britain

A pioneering project is set to transform how people explore and move across Britain and Ireland. Slow Ways, a non-profit Community Interest Company, has already...

Climate guilt isn’t making Brits drive less…It’s the cost of living

New data reveals financial and ethical factors are still shaping the nation’s transport choices - but with more weight on the financial impact. Private plate...

Green light for £32 million Golborne station as local firm appointed to design it

Plans to deliver a new £32 million train station in Golborne have reached a milestone moment. Wigan Council has given the green light to the...