Chamber Reacts to HS2 Uncertainty

Responding to the increasing uncertainty about the future of HS2, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Director, Chris Fletcher, said: “To many people that have followed HS2 since its inception they will be aware that for some strange reason successive governments, usually driven by the Treasury, have found it impossible to leave it well alone and just let it get built.

“The resultant delays, changes and re-scoping have added extra, unnecessary costs and could, if rumours are correct, end up with a line that doesn’t even run to central London, just connects to Birmingham yet which has had the vast majority of costs sunk into it.

“Once again the north has been promised the earth but all it seems we’ll get is scorched earth.

“For the government to even be thinking about scrapping the northern leg is just madness and I find it difficult to comprehend the logic behind it. It neither makes sense economically nor politically. All we have had over the last decade are cut backs, delays and disappointments. This latest episode is the most serious threat yet and we urge government to think again.”