Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said the government will not "blindly follow" plans for the HS2 phase 2b eastern leg connecting Birmingham and Leeds, and could instead prioritise other rail projects in the region. Ministers must "go back and ask further questions" regarding the section of the high-speed line, which was already in doubt following reports that it would be scrapped. Speaking to the Financial Times, Shapps said the government must "make sure we get trains to Leeds in a way that actually benefits people on the network and not blindly follow some plan invented 15 to 20 years ago, which no longer benefits people".
展开▼
