Last month’s announcement that the government will scrap phase two of the HS2 rail project, set to run from the West Midlands to Manchester, felt like another nail in the coffin for Britain’s beleaguered train network. Conceived in 2009, the HS2 main line was set to cut journey times between the north and south and create more seat space on the network, encouraging travellers to prioritise lower-carbon rail travel over cars and flights.
