HS2 northern leg revival not on the cards, No 10 suggests

Downing Street has dampened down suggestions the northern leg of the HS2 rail project could be revived.

Reports that the rail line could once again run beyond its current planned stretch from Old Oak Common on the outskirts of London to Birmingham were first made by LBC radio.

Phase 2a of the project, between London Euston and Crewe is also set to be built, according to the broadcaster.

But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman denied the reports were true.

“As we set out in the King’s Speech, the Government will not reverse the decision to cancel phase two of HS2.

“As you know, the project has been repeatedly delayed, costs have spiralled, the project as a whole has clearly been hugely mismanaged,” he told reporters.

The spokesman added: “But the Government remains committed, as set out in the manifesto, to delivering better rail connectivity across the north and that is why we are reviewing the position we have inherited, both on HS2 and other major infrastructure projects.

“We will set out more detailed plans in due course.”

The latest reports about the future of the high speed rail project come after Transport Secretary Louise Haigh indicated plans for the railway’s southern terminus at London’s Euston station would be brought back from the scrapheap.

Earlier this month she said it “would never have made sense” for that not to happen.

The Cabinet minister said an announcement on the project will be made “soon”, and could happen around the time of the Budget on October 30.

In October last year, then-prime minister Rishi Sunak announced that extending HS2 from Old Oak Common, in the suburbs of west London, to Euston, near the centre of the capital, was reliant on private investment.

This was aimed at saving £6.5 billion of taxpayers’ money.

Major HS2 construction work at a site alongside the existing station has been halted since the previous March because of funding doubts.

The Commons’ Public Accounts Committee issued a report in February stating it was “highly sceptical” that the Department for Transport would be able to attract private investment on “the scale and speed required” to make extending HS2 to Euston “a success”.