Leaders | HSscrewed

Rishi Sunak is wrong to amputate Britain’s high-speed rail line

The HS2 decision will make it harder to build infrastructure

The entrance to tunnels at Colne Valley viaduct in London, part of the HS2 development
Image: Getty Images

On October 4th Rishi Sunak declared that HS2, a high-speed rail line designed to connect London and the north of England, would not extend beyond Birmingham to Manchester. Britain’s prime minister made this announcement at the Tory party conference—in Manchester. In what was once a railway station. During a rail strike. Full marks for chutzpah, but what about the decision?

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This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “HSscrewed”

Are free markets history? The rise of homeland economics

From the October 7th 2023 edition

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