The Urban Transport Group has today responded to the announcement made by the Prime Minister that the northern leg of HS2, from Birmingham to Manchester, will be cancelled.

In his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, Rishi Sunak confirmed rumours that the northern leg will be scrapped. But he also announced a raft of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands.

Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:

“Many of our member city regions have designed local transport schemes around the promise of larger infrastructure projects, whether HS2 or otherwise. Our members need the confidence that once schemes are announced, they are delivered. The same logic applies to the raft of transport projects unveiled by the Prime Minister today.

“Fundamentally, transport is about more than simply moving people from A to B. It is about creating economic growth and thriving communities for people to live and work in. This can only happen through certainty of long-term investment.”