UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has raised concerns about the escalating costs of the HS2 high-speed rail project and suggested it would be unwise not to reconsider its viability. Speaking on a televised programme, Shapps explained that the government is currently evaluating whether HS2 aligns with the country’s current financial landscape.

Shapps pointed out that the initial targets for the project were established during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and at that time, factors such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis were not taken into account. The surge in inflation and budgetary constraints have prompted the government to revisit the feasibility of the HS2 initiative.

Furthermore, Shapps defended the government’s decision to delay certain green policies, emphasising his confidence that the UK would fulfil its legally binding commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

During the same programme, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey commented on the UK’s relationship with the European Union, stating that while the UK should be at the “heart of Europe,” he did not commit to advocating for the nation’s re-entry into the EU.

Meanwhile, Labour’s Darren Jones stressed the importance of cultivating a “better working relationship” with the EU.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, expressed his frustration over the government’s protracted decision-making process regarding HS2. He emphasised the urgent need for modern high-speed transportation in the North and highlighted the significance of public control over transportation systems. Burnham underscored the efforts being made to enhance public transport in Greater Manchester but lamented the government’s perceived lack of support in this regard.

Burnham warned that if the North continued to lag behind the South in terms of modern transportation infrastructure, the north-south divide would worsen significantly over the next century. He advocated for equitable investment in both east-west and north-south rail connectivity and emphasised the necessity of upgrading outdated Victorian-era infrastructure.

The Mayor of Manchester cautioned that failing to address this issue could exacerbate regional disparities and create a more pronounced north-south divide.