On Wednesday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed widely-trailed expectations when he pulled the plug on phase 2 of the vastly over budget rail project, promising to spend the money on a multitude of other transport projects instead.
Robert McClements, president of Creative Digital Industries (CDI), a special interest group of the BPIF, and also curator of the Visual Media Conference, stated: “Finally, a decision. What a shame there is in the obvious pointless politicisation of the announcement. Now, the urgency is in re-directing the planned investment to improve transport in the North. The East – West journeys between Leeds and Manchester are an embarrassment. With over 5,000 cancellations in the past year it is no longer a serious proposition to plan a journey.
“The transport infrastructure in Leeds is an incomplete jigsaw – the much vaunted Park and Ride schemes don’t even run in the evenings. Money already squandered on HS2 is almost criminal. To not now invest the money saved by not completing the scheme in regional needs would be to complete the disaster. Let’s hope there is now a solid commitment with definite timetable. Soon!”
Webmart founder and proud Yorkshireman Simon Biltcliffe was typically forthright. He said: “The Tories are like the Grand old Duke of York – they are marching our expectations up t’hill and then back down again.
“You can’t believe a word they say because deeds rarely follow their words and it is us, the taxpayers throughout the country, that pay for their lack of integrity, vision and action.”
HS2 cost too much, took too long and didn’t deliver what the British people need.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 4, 2023
Network North will be a different story - hundreds of transport projects starting sooner and finishing faster.
Find out what it means for your area now👇https://t.co/y0qHbzr22b pic.twitter.com/LkMU24Ucxa
Rob Dawson, director at Future Print Leeds, commented: “Personally I think that HS2 was a non-starter from the beginning as I think there are many other options for working these days and a high speed link for us personally would offer little benefit to our company.”
The CBI said the U-turn had sent “a damaging signal” about investment in the UK.
CEO Rain Newton-Smith stated: “The UK has incredible strengths as a destination for investment. When global boardrooms weigh up investment opportunities, the UK was always seen as a safe harbour due to our reputation for reliability. But the decision to cancel the rest of the HS2 project sends a damaging signal about the UK’s status as global destination for investment.
“Businesses and investors in the Midlands and the North have spent the last decade planning for the delivery of HS2. The commitment to invest in a new Network North programme of transport projects promises much needed investment to the region. But a 'start from scratch' approach risks leaving those businesses in a holding pattern of poor connectivity and low productivity whilst those projects are scoped, prepped and finally delivered.”
Sunak pledged that his new ‘Network North’ plan would involve redirecting £36bn into projects in the North, Midlands and as far afield as Kent.
