London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

HS2: Joy and frustration as £3bn rail link is scrapped

HS2: Joy and frustration as £3bn rail link is scrapped

Home and business owners along part of the HS2 rail project have expressed mixed reactions to it being scrapped.

The Golborne Link between the HS2 line through Cheshire and the existing West Coast mainline near Wigan will not be built, the government said on Tuesday.

Homeowner Sid Herrick welcomed the news but said it had been "10 years completely wasted" with stress.

His former neighbour Alan Hulley sold his home and is annoyed the line will not go ahead.

The HS2 project aims to build high-speed rail links between London and Manchester, Birmingham and the East Midlands


The government announced it was ditching the 13-mile (21km) rail link despite its earlier inclusion in the Integrated Rail Plan for improving the Midlands and North.

During the planning stages it changed lives and livelihoods, causing upheaval for those living and working along the route.

HS2 had been buying up properties, including in Lowton, near Wigan, where buildings were set to be demolished.

Mr Herrick, said he "felt great" when he heard the news but it was "10 years too late and I'm knackered".

In the decade since the plan was announced, his neighbours have sold up but he had not been able to and in that time he had a stroke and a heart attack.

Tony Kilbryde said he breathed "a sigh of relief" and can now "plan for the future"


His former neighbour, Alan Hulley, said the change of plan was "a tragedy", even though his house would have been bulldozed.

He said he was annoyed after "waiting six years to move" and having "put things on hold" and described the decision "a missed opportunity for short political gain".

Tony Kilbryde, who owns a motorbike business in Lowton, said he breathed "a sigh of relief" and can now "plan for our own future instead of others deciding it for us".

His shop would have avoided the bulldozers but lost customers with the rail line outside the door.

"It stops you planning anything... they chop and change and seemed to mislead you," he said.

John Barker said he had been "in limbo"


The indeterminacy was also a problem for John Barker who owns a timber yard next door and said he had been "in limbo".

"At least now we know what we're doing", he added.

The decision has also split MPs in the region, with Labour MP for Wigan calling it "devastating" while her colleague Charlotte Nichols in Warrington North welcomed the move, saying the cost was not justified.

HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said the government would now study alternative plans.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
×