A list of transport projects to be funded using HS2 money was intended to be “only illustrative”, the prime minister has said.
Rishi Sunak announced that the northern route of the high-speed rail line to Manchester would be scrapped last week during the Tory Party Conference hostel in an old railway building in Manchester.
In its place, the PM said, would be a host of other road, rail and transport links that will be financed by the £36 billion saved.
But speaking to the BBC, Sunak repeatedly dodged or refused to answer questions about the list, which included fixing potholes in the south and building a tramline that already exists.
He told BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show that the list had not been mistaken or misleading, saying these were just examples of the sort of plans that might be included.
“There’s a range of illustrative projects that could be funded,” he said.
“But ultimately, it’s going to be local leaders who are in charge. Rather than Westminster politicians dictating to areas what they should do, lots of money is going to be given to local areas for them to decide on their priorities.”
Sunak otherwise sought not to engage with questions on the transport projects.
Asked why he had pledged to quadruple the number of trains between Sheffield and Leeds when there are already up to five an hour each way, he said: “I’m not sure I recognise the numbers.”
He also faced a question from one Currys worker who asked why people should vote for him given “the mess left by your predecessor”, winning a round of applause.
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