Former Mayor Andy Street Backs New Birmingham-Manchester Rail Link Despite Delays
Former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has expressed support for government plans to establish a new rail link connecting Birmingham and Manchester, while also highlighting significant concerns over the project's extended timeline. Mr Street, a Conservative, acknowledged that the proposal includes both positive developments and disappointing setbacks.
Cross-Party Collaboration and Historical Context
In 2024, Mr Street and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, a Labour member, jointly advocated for alternatives to the cancelled northern leg of HS2, which was controversially scrapped in 2023. They emphasised that inaction was not an option and presented three potential plans, one of which involved constructing a new railway line.
Nearly two years later, the Labour government has announced its intention to build this new rail link between the two major cities. However, details remain scarce, and the link may not be constructed until after the completion of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) scheme, which aims to enhance rail connections across Northern England. This delay could push the project back by decades.
Reactions and Political Perspectives
Mr Street commented on the government's announcement, stating, "The good news is they’ve agreed with what we said, that there has to be an upgrade and there’s logic to a new route. The bad news is that it’s hugely delayed but at least the idea is alive." He credited cross-party efforts for keeping the concept viable after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision to axe the HS2 northern leg.
He further explained, "It’s just so obvious if you build a fast line to Birmingham and you build a fast line across the Pennines, the missing link is actually the easiest bit to do. So at some point I’m confident that will happen – and it’s the most congested part of the railway so many advantages of doing it."
In contrast, the Conservative group at Birmingham City Council responded with criticism in January. Councillor Timothy Huxtable, shadow cabinet member for transport, dismissed the announcement as a "complete non-announcement from a government desperate for positive headlines," arguing that a vague promise decades away offers no immediate benefits.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the plan, asserting that the government is "rolling up its sleeves to deliver real, lasting change for millions of people through Northern Powerhouse Rail," describing it as a major new network for faster, more frequent services. Mayor Andy Burnham welcomed the commitment, noting an openness to an underground station in Manchester city centre.
HS2 Controversy and Future Outlook
Mr Street, who lost his mayoral position to Labour's Richard Parker in 2024, also addressed calls to scrap HS2 entirely, such as from Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice, who labelled it wasteful. Mr Street countered, "If it was scrapped now, it would just be writing off many billions of pounds so there’s no earthly sense in that at all. It’s utter nonsense."
He stressed the importance of completing HS2 to realise its economic, capacity, and environmental benefits, while advocating for cost control before any expansion beyond Birmingham. Regarding HS2's future, he referenced CEO Mark Wild's reset plan, urging a renewed focus on selling the project's advantages and demonstrating Britain's capability in major infrastructure endeavours.
In a year-end update, Mr Wild committed to addressing past failures and setting a clear path forward, thanking the workforce for their progress amid the reset.
