HS2: Boris Johnson to approve full roll-out of multi-billion pound rail project, report says

Report comes after Johnson tells 10-year-old that with ‘a hole the size of HS2, the only thing to do is keep digging’

The HS2 railway project will be fully backed by the government, it has been reported.

On Monday night the BBC reported that the prime minister would approve the plan to build a high-speed rail link London to Birmingham, as well as Manchester and Leeds.

The scheme has split Boris Johnson’s colleagues, with some arguing the money could be better spent on improving rail infrastructure in the north, where investment has lagged behind the south, particularly London.

Costs could exceed £100bn, according to a leaked government-commissioned review, and tracks will cut through precious ancient woodland, destroying vital habitats.

Known for his fondness of large-scale infrastructure projects – included the ill-fated Garden Bridge and recently revived plans for a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland – Mr Johnson was expected to announce his approval on Tuesday.

A full endorsement would mean backing the second phase of the project, which involves developing the line from Birmingham out to Manchester and Leeds, amid concern from local officials that cost-cutting exercises could see the extension scrapped altogether.

However, the government is instead expected to find ways of reducing the cost of the project in its latter stage – with a review set up to identify savings and plans to integrate new lines along existing railways.

Downing Street declined to comment on the report.

But in an apparent attempt to placate opponents of HS2, Mr Johnson will also unveil a new £5bn five-year fund for bus services and cycle lanes in England.

HS2 critic and Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said the anticipated decision to go ahead with the line was "disappointing", arguing that design issues meant it would not meet its aims to mirror rail networks on the continent while representing a viable alternative to flying.

"If HS2 goes ahead as planned, we would have missed an opportunity to improve it and make it an integrated high-speed line like they have in continental Europe," he said.

"In Birmingham, for example, the HS2 arrives at a standalone station so it is not possible to change platforms onto other lines.

"Nor does it connect with Eurostar and the continent."

Last week, the prime minister heard the views of Conservative MPs in northern seats – including those newly elected following a crumbling of Labour support in the 2019 election – to gauge opinion on the project through one-minute pitches.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton since 2015, argued the government should not choose between investing in HS2 and putting money into local and regional transport.

“Ultimately we have got to get to a position where the whole country is much better connected," he said, arguing northern rail networks should flow into the HS2 project.

However, the prime minister appeared to have already made up his mind in an interview with a 10-year-old child last month.

Speaking to Braydon Brent on a Sky News children’s programme, Mr Johnson said that with “a hole the size of HS2, the only thing to do is keep digging”.

Additional reporting by Press Association