The UK government will build a new rail line between Birmingham and Manchester, reviving plans scrapped in 2023, with Birmingham as a key hub in the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme
Keir Starmer to Announce New Railway Plans
Keir Starmer is expected to announce plans for a new railway line between Birmingham and Manchester, according to the Independent. This comes just over two years after the HS2 expansion was cancelled.
Rishi Sunak cancelled the high-speed network between the two cities in October 2023 to save money.
Ministers are likely to confirm proposals for new and improved rail links across the North of England. This is part of a scheme known as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
This announcement follows three years after HS2 was cancelled.
Political Context and Challenges
Labour is trying to counter the threat from Nigel Farage’s Reform party. Sir Keir Starmer risks losing many parliamentary seats in the North of England in the next general election.
Richard Tice, Mr. Farage’s deputy, stated that a Reform government would eliminate any high-speed rail projects planned for the North.
With Labour trailing Reform in the polls, the party aims to address public services and infrastructure to attract unhappy voters in the region.
Sir Keir has promised that people across Britain will feel “positive change” this year. This comes amid growing doubts about his leadership and speculation of a challenge after tough elections in May.
Before becoming prime minister, Sir Keir stated he could not guarantee that a Labour government would reverse the decision to scrap HS2. This was despite calls for a pledge from Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham.
His remarks followed criticism of Mr. Sunak by former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson for cancelling the rail link to Manchester.
The National Audit Office warned that cancelling HS2 would cost £100 million and take up to three years.
At that time, Mr. Sunak said he had to act when costs “doubled.” He insisted that the money saved would be used to improve rail and road links in England and Wales instead.
NPR was first proposed by then-Conservative chancellor George Osborne in 2014. He aimed to create high-speed rail links between major cities in the North.
The plans have faced challenges due to the chaos affecting Conservative governments in the later years of that decade and into the 2020s.
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| HS2 Cancellation | October 2023 | Rishi Sunak cancelled the high-speed network. |
| NPR Proposal | 2014 | Proposed by George Osborne for high-speed links in the North. |
| Cost of HS2 Cancellation | N/A | National Audit Office warned of £100 million cost. |
