British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the cancellation of the northern section of the long-awaited HS2 high-speed rail network, which was expected to link the capital London and the northern city of Manchester, a distance of 530 kilometers (330 miles).
In his closing speech at this year’s Conservative Party conference in Manchester, the British Prime Minister blamed the decision for doubling costs, drawing criticism not only from his own party but also from the opposition Labor Party, which launched the project. are collecting.
To cushion the blow, Mr Sunak announced Network North, which would pump $43.6 billion into other existing transport systems, including roads, rail and buses.
So what is HS2 and why is it casting a shadow over the Conservative Party conference?
What is HS2?
HS2 or High Speed 2 is a rail service first proposed in 2009 under the Labor government. Its aim was simple: to strengthen connections between the north and south of Britain, thereby supporting social regeneration. It would also free up congested highways and reduce vehicle emissions.
The $45.6 billion project, which would serve both the existing rail line and the proposed high-speed line, was considered to be “Europe’s largest infrastructure project” in its own right.
With bullet trains running at top speeds of 225 miles per hour (362 kilometers per hour), HS2 was expected to stretch 530 kilometers (330 miles) from London to Birmingham, a major city in the center of the country. From there to northern towns and cities such as Crewe, Manchester and Leeds. The possibility of a connection to Scotland was abolished in 2022.
Is there a HS1?
yes, I have. HS1 has been in operation since 2007 and is a 110 km (68 mile) section from Pancras International Station in central London to the Channel Tunnel on England’s southeast coast. This opens the UK to mainland Europe, with more than 20 million passengers a year visiting Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels.
Will HS2 be completely abolished?
No, it is not, but it is being scaled back due to rising costs.
Previous Conservative Party leaders, including former prime ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson, have supported the plan, but Mr Sunak himself remains skeptical amid high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.
Costs that began in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and have ballooned further due to Brexit and Covid-19 mean there is less money available for government spending, giving the UK Prime Minister an opportunity to pull the brakes. It is given.
The project’s original budget estimate was about $45.5 billion, but it went over budget by more than $120 billion and its completion date was pushed back from its original 2016 date to 2040 or later.
Sunak said mismanagement of the project, as well as construction issues and rising costs, led to the delay.
In a speech on Wednesday, he announced that the Manchester section of HS2 would be scrapped because the project was draining the economy.
Are parts of HS2 already built?
Yes, construction will begin in September 2020 and the first phase of the project is expected to begin in 2030. London station Old Oak Common connects to Birmingham in the Midlands.
The connection to Euston, one of London’s central rail hubs, was due to open by 2031, but this stage of the project has been further delayed due to mismanagement, and Mr Sunak has confirmed that another company will He said he would be in charge.
By reducing journey times to just 40 minutes, HS2 trains will eventually run on the new track between Euston and Birmingham, with trains continuing on the existing track to Manchester.
What is an alternative plan?
Mr Sunak said scrapping the northern section of HS2 would free up $43.6 billion for every penny spent on “hundreds of new transport projects in the North, the Midlands and across the country”.
He said ‘Network North’ would provide better transport links in the north and on a shorter schedule than HS2.
The Prime Minister said under the new plan, all regions outside London would receive more investment and faster returns.
The Conservative government says the release of funding from HS2 will be used to do other things to boost connectivity across the country, including resurfacing roads, improving existing motorway routes and maintaining £2 ($2.43) bus fares. We believe it will be used to build and invest in hundreds of plans. A cap will be set nationwide.
Where does Labor stand on HS2?
They are in favor of the project.
Last week, Labor mayors across the country issued a joint statement saying that if the project does not go ahead, the government will “leave Victoria’s transport infrastructure in parts of the north unfit for purpose”.
Labor leader Keir Starmer has also criticized the government for failing to raise standards, but has not made clear where his party stands on the HS2 plan.
