THE GOVERNMENT’S commitment to delivering HS2 in its entirety has been stressed by the Transport Minister.

Nusrat Ghani was speaking at an event in Westminster last week hosted on behalf of HS2 East, a partnership representing towns and cities along the eastern leg of the Phase 2b route.

She was joined by HS2 chairman Allan Cook and Lord Kerslake, former head of the Civil Service, as well as speakers from organisations across the Midlands and the North.

The eastern leg of HS2 is a high speed connection between Birmingham, Toton in the East Midlands, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle, with strong support to extend the route to Scotland. The destinations have a combined population of 15 million people and already contribute over £320billion a year to the UK economy.

Ms Ghani, Undersecretary of State for Transport, said: “HS2 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that can rebalance and boost the economy, not just in the next ten years, but for generations to come. The Eastern Leg will provide a major boost to places like Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Leeds, right the way to Scotland. Last week I was in the West Midlands and I can tell you, the benefits of Phase One are already being felt, 7,000 jobs have been created, 2,000 businesses have secured contract opportunities, and this is only the beginning.

“You may have seen stories in the media recently that Phase Two of HS2 might not happen. Let me stress again, it is absolute nonsense to question this government’s commitment to Phase 2b. As the Secretary of State said recently, failing to complete the project would be a betrayal of the Midlands and the North.”

Allan Cook, chairman of HS2 Ltd, said: “HS2 is not just a transport project, it’s a UK-wide regeneration programme that will transform towns and cities across the Midlands and the North. We’re talking about decades worth of investment and benefits that will be felt for years to come. Stopping short is not an option – we must, and will, deliver HS2 in its entirety.

“Both myself and HS2’s CEO Mark Thurston started our careers as apprentices, and it is our job to ensure these same opportunities are passed on to the young people of this country. As well as completing the project on time and on budget our legacy will be a mobilised, skilled workforce, empowered businesses and supercharged economic growth. Over 250 apprentices are already working on HS2 and over the project’s lifetime this figure will reach 2,000.”

Andrew Pritchard from HS2 East, East Midlands Councils and Midlands Connect said: “We mustn’t forget that over 60 per cent of Phase Two’s economic benefits come from the Eastern Leg, its delivery is not an added extra but essential.”