HS2 cut confirmed amid promise to transform rail

The government has scrapped part of the HS2 high speed rail line as part of a package that ministers promise will transform services.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has told the Commons the overhaul will bring faster journeys up to 10 years earlier than planned.

He said it showed the government was acting on its levelling up agenda.

But Mr Shapps faces criticism he is watering down promises, although anti-HS2 campaigners welcomed the news.

HS2 was originally planned to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. But HS2 between the East Midlands and Leeds will now be scrapped.

Delivering his Integrated Transport Plan (ITP), Mr Shapps told MPs it was an "ambitious and unparalleled programme" to overhaul inter-city links across the north and Midlands, and "speed up the benefits for local areas and serves destinations people most want to reach".

Work has already started on the first phase of HS2 , linking London and the West Midlands. The next section will extend the line to Crewe.

The final phase was to take HS2 to Manchester and Leeds.

Mr Shapps said on Thursday: "This new blueprint delivers three high-speed lines. First, that's Crewe to Manchester.

"Second, Birmingham to the East Midlands with HS2 trains continuing to central Nottingham and central Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield on an upgraded mainline.

"And third, a brand new high-speed line from Warrington to Manchester and to the western border of Yorkshire - slashing journey times across the north."

Commenting on plans for rail links between the East Midlands to Leeds, Mr Shapps said "we'll study how best to take HS2 trains into Leeds as well".

However, that is likely to be via upgrades to existing rail network, a move condemned by MPs and regional business leaders who said a high speed line was vital to the economic growth of the Midlands and north England.

Labour MP Hilary Benn told the Commons that Prime Minister Boris Johnson "had promised to build HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail in full. That promise has been broken. People feel betrayed".

There was also criticism that a significant portion of the £96bn pledged as new investment has already been announced, such as £360m to improve ticketing.