Prime Minister expected to give HS2 the go-ahead

The Government could give the green light to HS2 as early as today (11 February).

According to reports in the national press, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to put aside doubts over the first phase of the high speed rail line which will link London with Birmingham and Crewe, despite costs spiraling to £106bn – almost double the original estimate of £56bn.

The Government is also expected to announce a review of the second leg of the HS2 line, which would run from Crewe to Manchester and through the East Midlands up to Leeds.

The rumours come on the same day that the Prime Minister will announce a £5bn “overhaul” of bus and cycle routes outside of London, using the Government’s  buzzword du jour by promising to “level up” local transport connections.

Johnson said: “Local transport connections have a truly transformative role to play in levelling up infrastructure across the country.

“Our daily journeys for work or leisure are about so much more than just getting from A to B – they are the key to accessing skilled jobs and opportunities, boosting businesses and unlocking economic growth for towns, cities and regions across this country.

“That’s why improving connectivity by overhauling bus services and making cycling easier than ever is such an important step forward, to make sure every community has the foundations it needs to thrive.”

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