Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Marple, Stockport
"Every penny" from scrapped northern HS2 leg is staying in the north, PM says in Stockport visit
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PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has maintained that 'every penny' saved from cancelling the northern leg of HS2 will stay in the north, to be invested in local transport.
The PM confirmed the plans in a statement to Nub News, as he visited a café in Marple this morning (Friday 5 January).
It comes following concerns from northern politicians that some of the money saved on cancelling the HS2 northern leg was in fact being spent elsewhere.
The Government cancelled HS2 phase two in October; HS2 phase one, from London to Birmingham, remains under construction.
Phase two would have comprised the aforementioned northern leg, as well as some track through the Midlands.
Mr Sunak clarified that the money saved on each section of HS2 phase two would be re-invested in the relevant areas. In other words, the amount which would have been spent on the northern leg will stay in the north; likewise, the money saved on the Midlands leg will stay in the Midlands.
Of the £36bn saved on cancelling HS2 phase two, the allocations are as follows:
- £19.8bn to the North
- £9.6bn to the Midlands
- £6.5bn to the rest of the country (including the South East and South West).
In a statement to Nub News, the PM said: "Every penny that was going to be spent on HS2 in the north is staying in the north [...]
"Importantly, it's going to go on the forms of transportation that people actually use more often, that can make more difference to their lives, quicker.
"One good example - given where we are right now - is the Hope Valley line, which is getting completely electrified, which means stations around here will have quicker access, reliability and capacity to places like Manchester and Sheffield.
"Local roads are going to get far more investment - whether that's to maintain things like potholes, or the big junctions around Manchester...
"Those are all the things that that money is now going to be used for, and much of it is going to be for leaders here in the North West."
Mr Sunak added: "On top of that, we've ring-fenced an additional £12 billion to make sure that the link between Manchester and Liverpool can proceed as planned. [...]
"It's also important to remind people that HS2 trains are still running to Manchester. The journey times from Manchester to London are still going to be cut."
Nonetheless, some northern politicans remain frustrated that money saved on cancelling HS2 phase two is going to the south, particularly since HS2 phase one - from London to Birmingham - has not been scrapped.
The recent decision to use some of the £36bn in fixing potholes in London, for example, provoked an angry response from northern politicians.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the move as 'insulting'.
In a similar vein, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracey Brabin said: "I know the North isn't a priority for this government, but seriously."
Meanwhile, Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, joked: "Great to see the rural northern village of London finally getting the Levelling Up funding it deserves."
Whilst in Marple, Mr Sunak also discussed the war in Ukraine, inflation, and Levelling Up.
Alongside Paul Athans - the local Conservative Parliamentary candidate - Mr Sunak emphasised general campaign aims.
The PM continues his tour of Manchester, following his statement that a general election will not be held in the first half of 2024.
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