FILE - A train passes the construction site of the High Speed 2 rail line at Euston station in London, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. The British government confirmed Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 it may scrap a big chunk of an overdue, over-budget high-speed rail line once touted as a key way to attract jobs and investment to northern England.
“It would be irresponsible to simply spend money, carry on as if nothing had changed,” he told the BBC. Though it drew opposition from environmentalists and lawmakers representing districts along the route, the project was touted as a way to strengthen the north’s creaky, overcrowded and unreliable train network. The government hailed it as a key plank in its plan to “level up” prosperity across the country.
“It is no wonder that Chinese universities teach the constant cancellation of U..K infrastructure as an example of what is wrong with democracy,” Johnson said. The government has also delayed work on bringing the line all the way to Euston station in central London. When it opens, some time between 2029 and 2033, trains will start and finish at Old Oak Common station in the city’s western suburbs.