The Prime Minister announced that HS2 would be reconsidered to free up £32 billion which can now be reallocated to local projects and the Northern Network.
HS2 was a high-speed railway line originally planned to connect London to the North, stopping at Birmingham and Manchester.
As part of the Prime Ministers aim to create long term plans for a brighter future, the project has been reevaluated, to measure the £32 billion cost against its value to Northern communities and business.
On Wednesday (4 October) the Prime Minister announced that instead of using the money to create one train line, the money would be split between areas across the UK to deliver more accessible, faster, reliable, and better-connected transport options, and local interconnectivity.
This decision has resulted in Teesside being given £978 million towards delivering projects to improve connectivity, including Network North, road imrpovements in the Tees Valley and bringing London’s contactless and smart ticketing to the area.
Network North will prioritise East West transport and connect major Northern towns and cities.
Alongside these projects, the money will also go towards more frequent bus services, keeping the £2 fare cap in place until December 2024 and general road maintenance fixing potholes.
Matt Vickers MP said:
“HS2 being cancelled is a real good news story for the North East.
“HS2 would have done nothing for Teesside and the North East and cancelling it will mean hundreds of millions of pounds can be spent improving our local transport system.
The new funding Teesside has been granted will result in meaningful upgrades to road and rail, which will be game changing in improving the lives of local people from opening up education and employment opportunities, to making it easier to visit family.
“Network North will bring improved local interconnectivity stretching from East to West and will clearly benefit us more than HS2 ever could.”
