黑洞社区

Henri Murison has criticised Rishi Sunak for delaying a decision on a crucial section of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project and denounced this morning鈥檚 government announcement of former HS2 funds for councils as 鈥渟imply PR鈥�.

Sunak is holding a cabinet meeting in Yorkshire today where he will confirm that 拢4.7bn in funding that had been earmarked for HS2 will be given to councils in the north of England and the Midlands for local transport projects.

But Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP), said the prime minister was 鈥渏ust repeating an old announcement鈥� and the money would not make up for the costs of last October鈥檚 decision to cancel HS2鈥檚 northern leg to Manchester.

Murison said the NPP was still waiting for confirmation from the government that a section of the scrapped HS2 leg 鈥� a tunnel between Manchester airport and Manchester city centre 鈥� that is also needed for the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme will go ahead.

Speaking to the BBC this morning, he said: 鈥淲e are waiting still for confirmation of that and the thing that concerns me, and I think should concern your listeners, is that we鈥檝e lost time since October.

>> See also: HS2 cuts force Manchester airport to pare back growth expectations

鈥淭his government, in all its chopping and changing, chopped and changed on the integrated rail plan, Northern Powerhouse rail, much of it was lopped off. It鈥檚 now being put back on, but if we want the legislation to pass to enable us to build this railway, we need the route to be confirmed.

鈥淎t the moment the bill committee 鈥� which should be discussing how to build a tunnel, which would connect the North-west and Yorkshire 鈥� is doing nothing because this government hasn鈥檛 made an announcement.鈥�

Re-allocated funds from the cancelled HS2 leg will see 拢2.5bn given to the north of England and 拢2.2bn handed to the Midlands. Sunak had promised in October to 鈥渞einvest every penny鈥� of the 拢36bn saved from scrapping the route.

Labour has also criticised the 鈥渞eannouncement鈥�, describing it as a 鈥渂ack of a fag packet plan鈥�.

>> See also: HS2 fallout sees Labour and construction united by common aim

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: 鈥淟ocal people are sick and tired of this government taking them for fools.

鈥淥nly the Conservatives could have the brass neck to promise yet another 鈥榯ransformation鈥� of transport infrastructure in the Midlands and North after 14 years of countless broken promises to do just that.鈥�

鈥淭he Conservative record speaks for itself 鈥� record delays and cancellations on the rail network, 22 million more potholes and a record-breaking collapse in bus routes.鈥�

Transport secretary Mark Harper is also expected to provide an update today on Network North, the government鈥檚 plan for redirecting HS2 funding which includes 拢8.3bn for fixing potholes over the next 10 years and 拢1bn for improving bus services in the North and Midlands.