Construction of HS2's link line to Manchester delayed by two years

Future rail travel in the North suffered another devastating blow tonight after the Government confirmed construction of HS2's link line to Manchester would be delayed by two years to cut costs.

Mark Harper, the transport secretary, blamed the decision to 'rephase construction' of the line to the North West from the West Midlands on 'significant inflationary pressure and increased project costs'. In a written ministerial statement, Mr Harper announced the Government would delay building the Birmingham to Crewe leg of the HS2 project - which would go on to connect to Manchester.

Labour in response said the decision meant the North was again having to 'pay the price' for Government failures.

He said the Government was 'committed' to the phase, with an 'aim' to deliver HS2 services to Crewe and beyond 'as soon as possible after accounting for the delay in construction'. No exact dates or timescales were given.

Phase One of HS2 involves the railway being built between London and Birmingham, with the line extended out from the West Midlands to Crewe in Phase 2a. Phase 2b would connect Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to the East Midlands. A planned HS2 extension to Leeds was shelved in November 2021.

The news marks a second blow for planned rail links in Manchester after the scaling back of the TransPennine Northern Powerhouse Rail proposals.

But Northern leaders said although the delay was 'disappointing', they were 'relived that the most northerly section of the route between Crewe and Manchester will be protected as the section makes it way towards parliamentary approval'.

Mr Harper said: "We continue to take the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill through Parliament, and the Crewe-to-Manchester section