THE Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has described the cancellation of the Manchester leg of HS2 as ‘extremely disappointing and a significant blow to the UK construction sector’.
CPA chief executive Stu McInroy was responding to PM Rishi Sunak’s announcement.
“This decision shall undoubtedly further undermine confidence and impact future investment at a time when the economy remains fragile,” Mr McInroy said. “Whilst in no way likely to offset the negative effect of cancelling the Manchester leg of HS2, it is imperative that Mr Sunak’s commitment to completing the HS2 line to Euston, and diverting Manchester leg funding to a plethora of other projects aimed at boosting transport infrastructure in the north, are actioned without delay.
“Construction is a key driver of economic growth and CPA members will now be watching very closely what the Government does next. Failure to follow through with current infrastructure plans has already damaged confidence in UK construction and impacted on the UK as a destination for international investment. We can ill-afford the Government to repeat this failure again.”
Civils contractors described the decision as a ‘dark day for the entire UK economy’.
Marie-Claude Hemming, director of operations for the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), said, “This is a dark day for the UK economy, and for everyone who has placed trust in successive UK Governments to level up the country and close the north-south divide. While the Prime Minister has promised to reinvest HS2 money in alternative schemes, we as an industry know how unlikely this will be to materialise and impact communities in anything like the game-changing way that high speed rail would have delivered.
“Britain now lags far behind our competitors and will remain so due to this short-sighted decision. That the UK Government can make such a decision without a democratic mandate – after the scheme has been supported by all parties throughout successive General Elections – frankly beggars belief.”
The Mineral Products Association (MPA), which represents UK producers of aggregates, concrete and asphalt, expressed its ‘deep disappointment’ at announcement.
MPA said its members have invested tens of millions of pounds to meet the material needs of HS2 on the basis of the Government’s long-term commitment to infrastructure and public investment.
Jon Prichard, MPA chief executive, said, “Using infrastructure spend to balance the books, without looking at the wider economic, social and environmental impacts is short-sighted. Pretending that this is a strategic decision simply does not tally with the facts.
“Scrapping the next leg of HS2 is the latest and largest example of the Government’s commitment being unreliable, with projects continuously falling victim to political games. Future prospects for our industry and the wider UK economy should not hinge on the latest political opinion, but on evidence-based policymaking and long-term strategic thinking. This is clearly absent from the current debate.”
