Scrapping of HS2 eastern leg expected later

A £96bn rail improvement programme will help transform services in the Midlands and northern England, the government has said today ahead of the expected scrapping of the HS2 eastern leg from Birmingham to Leads.

Local service upgrades, bringing faster journeys, will be introduced up to 10 years earlier than planned, ministers say.

It comes as businesses reacted angrily to reports the East Midlands-Leeds HS2 high-speed line would not be built.

Raj Kandola (pictured), head of Policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “This morning 's confirmation that the Eastern Leg of HS2 is going to be scrapped comes as no surprise but is still a massive disappointment not just for the East Midlands but the country as a whole given the socio- economic and environmental benefits that full delivery of the project would have brought.

“We will carefully review the release of the full Integrated Rail Plan later today in order to understand what the new proposals will mean for businesses in Greater Birmingham and beyond. ”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to unveil the plans later.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says its Integrated Rail Plan will improve journey times and capacity "from London and across the Pennines" and "strengthen connections between major cities in the North and Midlands". Main measures expected:

• HS2 rail extension to Leeds set to be scrapped
• Scaling back North rail plans is 'ludicrous'
• City has the UK's worst rail connections
• Scrapping HS2 extension 'undermines' levelling up

HS2 was originally meant to connect London with the city centres of Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. But BBC reports today say the eastern leg to Leeds is set to be scrapped.

Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Mr Johnson appears to confirm reports that a shorter high-speed route will be created from Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway, with the HS2 trains then running up as far as Sheffield on mainline tracks.

The government is also expected to put money aside to explore setting up a tram service for Leeds and spend £360m on contactless ticketing across commuter rail networks.

About half of £96bn investment in rail is thought to be new money.

Speaking ahead of today's announcement, the Prime Minister said the IRP was the "biggest transport investment programme in a century, delivering meaningful transport connections for more passengers across the country, more quickly - with both high-speed journeys and better local services, it will ensure no town or city is left behind".

The IRP was initiated after the 2020 Oakervee Review into major transport schemes including HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

But Mr Johnson has come under pressure recently over claims the government intends to "water down" planned rail upgrades.