Rishi Sunak dodged questions over the way forward for HS2 as he spoke to native radio stations throughout the nation.

The prime minister was repeatedly requested concerning the northern leg of the excessive velocity rail line between Birmingham and Manchester.

He was additionally quizzed on whether or not the route would now finish within the west London suburb of Old Oak Common relatively than Euston, as studies proceed to floor that he plans to scrap the subsequent section of the challenge on account of hovering prices.

Read extra: PM pushed in series of live interviews – follow politics live

In a troublesome trade on BBC Radio Manchester, Mr Sunak refused to offer a sure or no reply to the presenter, saying: “I’m not speculating on future things.”

But he hinted at extra assist for the so-called Northern Powerhouse Rail, operating east to west, including: “Having greater frequency, greater capacity and shorter journey times… will make the biggest difference to unlocking the massive potential across the North”.

He additionally appeared to defend the viability of Old Oak Common on BBC Three Counties Radio, saying it had “very strong” connections into the capital.

HS2 was first touted by Labour in 2009, earlier than it was signed off by the Tory Lib Dem coalition authorities. It was designed to attach the South, the Midlands and the North of England with state-of-the-art infrastructure.

If the Manchester leg had been to be axed, it might be the newest watering down of the challenge, with the japanese leg to Leeds scrapped totally and work between Birmingham and Crewe delayed as a result of affect of inflation.

Some estimates have put the full value at greater than £100bn, whereas the challenge has been rated “unachievable” by the infrastructure watchdog.

The line has quite a few defenders, from Tory grandees like Lord Heseltine and former chancellor George Osborne, by means of to Labour’s regional mayors, who’ve criticised the federal government for not involving them within the choice over its future.

An announcement on the scrapping of section two and the London terminus had been anticipated this week – but it surely has but to floor simply days earlier than the Conservative Party heads to Manchester for its annual convention.

Almost a yr to the day former prime minister Liz Truss confronted a battering on BBC native stations, Mr Sunak carried out the identical pre-conference media spherical, starting with BBC York, which requested him if he had “betrayed” the North over HS2.

“No,” he replied. “I think what people will see… [is] we’re investing record amounts in improving infrastructure but also delivering levelling up. I mean making sure that our town centres and high streets get the investment that they need.

“That’s actually essential and ensuring that, as I say, transport infrastructure is being improved.”

Asked if the northern leg would go forward by BBC West Midlands, the prime minister stated: “There are spades in the ground right now at the moment making sure that we complete the first part of this line from Birmingham to central London, and we are absolutely getting on with that, that is important.”

But he deflected to speak about different types of journey, saying: “We are investing in the transport that they use every day, making sure that the roads that people are using, probably right now as they are driving to work or taking their kids to school, are free of potholes, that the bus services that we have are reliable and frequent.”

Read extra:
What is HS2 and why are parts being delayed?
Ex-minister calls for inquiry into HS2 as he warns of ‘disastrous’ consequences
Johnson and Cameron criticise move to ditch HS2 to Manchester

Mr Sunak’s third outing got here on BBC Manchester and presenter Anna Jameson accused him of “trying to get off” the HS2 subject, asking: “Let’s end this right here right now, tell the people of Greater Manchester, are you scrapping the HS2 line between Birmingham and Manchester?”

The PM replied: “I know there is a lot of speculation on this but we have already got spades in the ground on the first bit of HS2 and what we are doing is getting on with delivering it.”

Pushed on the northern leg, he stated: “It is always right that the government is looking at things to make sure we are doing things in a way that creates value for money.

“But what I might say is HS2 is among the many issues we’re doing to degree up throughout our nation and is among the many issues we’re doing to spend money on the north and in transport infrastructure within the north.”

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Accusing him of “going off topic”, the presenter requested him to “keep focus”, including: “We are straight talking people in the north it is a yes or a no, are you scrapping the HS2 line between Birmingham and Manchester?”

But once more Mr Sunak insisted he wouldn’t be “speculating on future things”. However, he once more put the deal with the necessity for higher connectivity east to west, hinting it could possibly be on provide if the north to south plan is ditched.

“Connectivity across northern towns and cities is important,” added the prime minister. “I’ve said it for years.

“I do know that that connectivity throughout the Pennines shouldn’t be ok. And it isn’t simply Liverpool to Manchester, it is all the way in which throughout the North. And that’s in all probability the factor that can drive essentially the most progress, create essentially the most jobs if we are able to get that proper. And that is why we’re investing in doing that. But we clearly have to do extra.”

On BBC Three Counties Radio, Mr Sunak was pushed over the ultimate vacation spot for HS2 within the capital, with presenter Babs Michel asking: “Where is Old Oak Common? Because it appears [it] is closer to Brentford than Trafalgar Square, so what is the point… it doesn’t help us at all.”

But the prime minister appeared to defend it as a smart place to terminate the hyperlink, saying: “Old Oak Common is on the new Elizabeth Line and actually the connections from Old Oak Common to most London destinations, whether that is Heathrow, the City, the West End, Canary Wharf, are actually very strong.

“Obviously it’s a new station that folks will not be conversant in, however its connectivity into all these areas may be very robust.”

During the interviews, Mr Sunak was additionally challenged on crumbling concrete, ready occasions for ambulances – and whether or not he wished to purchase Reading Football Club.