'Deliberate, desperate vandalism': Government accused of final 'spiteful' act that has 'killed' last-ditch plans to save HS2 under Labour

Swathes of land earmarked for the HS2 routes now scrapped, including the leg to Manchester, will not be protected for potential future expansion of the high-speed railway, the Department for Transport has confirmed.

One leading railway consultant described the decision as 'ludicrous' and an act of 'spite', with contracts awarded under the HS2 banner also being cancelled. It means a Labour Government would struggle to revive the project in full if the party wins the general election next year.

Northern leaders had already urged the Government to protect the HS2 Bill going through Parliament. But one northern mayor says the Government's lifting of the project's so-called 'safeguarding order' effectively kills the HS2 scheme 'stone dead', according to reports today.

READ MORE: Their promises have been broken... we've been let down once again

READ MORE: Labour win 'seismic' Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election after crushing SNP

Under a process known as safeguarding, land on the HS2 routes – including extensions to Crewe, Manchester and the East Midlands – was protected to stop conflicting developments taking place.

Phase 2a – between the West Midlands and Crewe – safeguarding will be formally lifted in the coming weeks. For Phase 2b – between the West Midlands and Manchester – safeguarding will be amended by summer 2024 to allow for plans under Northern Powerhouse Rail. The revived extension to London Euston is now said only to be possible with private investment.

Gareth Dennis, a railway consultant, engineer and writer, said on X, formerly Twitter: "The lifting of safeguarding, firesale of purchased land, and hobbling of Euston station to prevent this dismal decision being reversed and HS2 being delivered by a new