HS2 scrapped: how did we get here?

It’s been nearly 14 years in the making – and was supposed to help connect English cities like never before. Now, delayed, over budget and more controversial than ever, HS2 ambitions have hit the rails. Rishi Sunak has confirmed that construction of the HS2 leg between Birmingham and Manchester was no longer going ahead. Speaking at the Conservative party conference, he added that ‘every single penny’ of the £36bn allocated for the high-speed rail branch would be invested in other transport projects. Since Labour announced plans for a north-south high-speed rail network, the project has been beset by problems