The number of trains running on HS2 will be almost halved and services will travel more slowly in a proposed shake-up of the £72bn line as ministers scramble to save money.
According to reports in the Telegraph, officials are considering reducing the number of trains from 18 to 10 an hour and plans to run services at up to 360 km/h (224 mph) are in jeopardy as officials weigh whether to reduce maximum speeds.
The Department for Transport on Tuesday refused to rule out reducing the frequency and speed of HS2 trains.
A spokesman said: “We do not comment on speculation. Spades are already in the ground on the HS2 programme. It will better connect regions across the UK, provide a greener option of travel and is supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
“We remain committed to delivering the project from Euston to Manchester and continue to work in line with the Integrated Rail Plan.”
It is the latest speculation about the line which is due to connect Manchester to London by 2038 which included reports that HS2 will not run to central London but that the line would stop at Old Oak Common.
Greater Manchester Leaders called for an urgent rethink of plans to bring HS2 to Manchester, warning that the wrong solution could damage the prospects of the whole North of England for generations to come.
They want the terminal at Manchester Piccadilly to be built underground rather than the Government’s proposed overground solution while plans to shut the Metrolink service between Ashton and Piccadilly for up to two years during instruction are being hotly contested
