This morning’s papers continue to speculate that the Government is set to axe the Northern leg of HS2 as Grant Schapps tells the BBC that any government who did not reconsider transport plans post-Covid ‘would be acting outside reality’
Rishi Sunak could axe the second half of HS2 as soon as this week after an £8 billion increase in costs put the scheme on course to wipe out the budget for other transport projects the Telegraph reports
According to the Observer a source told the paper that decision to cancel the section of HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester could not be made at the conference and would have to come before it.
“He has to do it before Tories go to Manchester. To do it there would be inconceivable. It would be a kick in the teeth for the city. So doing it before seems to be the plan.”
Doing the media rounds this morning the defence Secretary said that Grant Shapps said that when it comes to HS2 it’s right that the government should ask “at what speed we want to progress certain projects”.
adding that it is important the government weighs up if the HS2 still works for the country.
