LEADER of Solihull Council, Coun Ian Courts, said he was disappointed over the cancellation of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak confirmed at the Conservative Party Conference that the new line between Manchester and Birmingham would no longer be built, despite years of planning.
Coun Courts said: The decision to shelve the Birmingham to Manchester leg of the route inevitably came as a great disappointment.
“Solihull residents have had to put up with years of pain and disruption as a result of the HS2 project, but the trade-off has always been the economic gains promised by successive Governments.
“The news of the negotiations conducted by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and his pragmatic and principled approach is therefore extremely welcome, as well as the reaffirmed commitment to delivering HS2 Phase 1 all the way to Euston and the potential of the early gains for the region, particularly for transport.
“Solihull remains the best connected place in the West Midlands and a driver of the regional economy, but I have always been committed to the principle that economic growth should be part and parcel of delivering benefits for people and environment.
“We will await further detail of the alternative transport proposals being put forward and timescales, and how this is likely to affect Solihull and our own economy.
“I will be working tirelessly with colleagues across the region to ensure that Solihull borough can derive maximum benefit from the changes announced. I am asking my officers to work through what this can mean locally and will set out our key priorities for Solihull.”
