Money being wasted on the controversial HS2 line would be better spent improving connectivity across the North, an MP has said.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said links to the north and south were fine and reducing journey times to London was not a priority.
Speaking in Treasury Questions he said dealing with transport issues across the north were of greater concern to his constituents.
Mr Davies said: “The travel between north and south is the bit of transport infrastructure that works; it is the travel across the north that does not work. What would the cost of HS2 have to reach for the Government to conclude that it no longer represents value for money for the taxpayer, or are the Government pursuing the essentially socialist policy that they will keep paying for this ridiculous white elephant irrespective of the final bill?”
Mr Davies, who has opposed the line since it was first mentioned, has repeatedly called for it to be scrapped in its entirety.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said: “I took the precaution of researching my hon. Friend’s interest in this subject, and I note that he was issuing challenges on it 14 years ago.
“The Government remain—as they were then—fully committed to delivering HS2 and the integrated rail plan. This is a long-term investment that will bring our biggest cities closer to each other. It will boost productivity and will provide a low-carbon alternative to cars and planes for many decades to come. As my hon. Friend knows, we are also working, through the IRP, on a £96 billion package to improve inter-regional rail connections, which obviously affects his constituents.”
Mr Davies said the project was outdated and government must stop throwing money at it.
