Rishi Sunak is expected to announce, during his speech at the Tory conference today, that HS2 Manchester leg will be cancelled (replaced by non high speed services) but that the Euston terminal will go ahead.
This ends up pleasing no one.
The question though, that needs to be asked, is why has this project been so badly run?
Unsurprisingly HS2, or rather the Manchester section of it, is under threat; as Sunak and Hunt weigh up the disgraceful cost overruns (£16BN or more) and consider pulling the plug.
Unfortunately for the PM, various ex PMs, an ex chancellor and Heseltine have rallied to the cause of HS2. All of this means that the rumoured announcement this week about pulling the plug may well be delayed, thus leaving it hanging over the party conference like the Sword of Damocles.
Aside from the obvious questions arising from this mess, the one question screaming out that needs to be addressed is this:
Why the hell can't governments build large infrastructure projects on time and on budget?
HS2 construction to be delayed to save money https://t.co/RXl6wNGrdH
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 9, 2023
Why the hell don't they cancel this absurd waste of money?
It's a funny old world when an investment project of £96 Billion is considered a betrayal, and when the man who campaigned against HS2 now complains about it being pared back!
