Plans to cancel the HS2 West Midlands-Manchester line

According to the BBC, Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the cancellation of the HS2 high-speed rail line from West Midlands to Manchester in his conference speech on Wednesday. Instead, the prime minister is likely to present alternative projects in the north of England and Wales that will be deemed more cost-effective and faster to complete. The possibility of scrapping HS2 has already sparked discontent among local leaders and businesses, with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Birmingham Mayor Andy Street expressing their concerns. Alongside these figures, Manchester United and 30 other businesses have written to the prime minister requesting that he commits to the line to prevent "economic self-sabotage." HS2 was initially intended to reduce travel time, alleviate congestion on existing rail networks, and stimulate job growth outside of London. However, there have been mounting concerns about the escalating costs of the project, leading to the abandonment of the leg between the West Midlands and Leeds. The estimated cost of HS2 in 2019 was £71 billion, but this figure does not account for recent increases in material and labor costs due to inflation. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps previously stated that it would be illogical not to review the project in light of rising costs. In recent discussions, government ministers have emphasized the importance of enhancing east-west transportation links in the north of England. One initiative highlighted is Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), which seeks to improve connectivity between Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool. However, NPR is designed to intersect with HS2, and the cancellation of the latter would result in increased costs for NPR. Additionally, a group of Conservative MPs known as the Northern Research Group has proposed a new rail line, dubbed "the Charles Line," connecting Liverpool to Hull.