Let’s scrap the rest of HS2 and fix cross-northern travel instead

With the arrival of another round of delays, Chris Blackhurst says it’s time for the government to cut its losses

End of the line: HS2 workers at Euston in January (EPA)

Only in Britain. It’s hard to think of another country where the construction of a high-speed train service we’re told repeatedly is desperately needed would be slowed deliberately.

To put it simply: either the new railway is filling a gaping hole or it isn’t. And the fact that the government has now delayed building north of Birmingham by two years and the line won’t be going into central London to Euston, not at first at least, suggests the latter is correct.

Apparently, inflationary costs of building materials and services are to blame, but either it is urgently required and the money can be found or it isn’t. The lack of urgency says it is not required at all.