Council leaders from across the Midlands have hit back at the Government's decision last year to downgrade HS2 - and are now calling for compensation and the decision to be reversed.
In November, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed what many had already suspected - that the 'eastern leg' of HS2 between Birmingham and Leeds, known as phase 2b, would be curtailed.
Under the Government's new 'Integrated Rail Plan' (IRP), the high-speed line would instead travel just from Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway south west of Nottingham before switching to existing tracks and heading to destinations in the East Midlands and Yorkshire.
A proposed new HS2 station at Toton near the M1 will also now not be built.
Council leaders in the East Midlands are now demanding the Government gives them financial support to compensate for the time and money they spent preparing to help deliver those original plans.
And West Midlands councils, led by elected Conservative mayor Andy Street, urged ministers to reconsider their decision to axe parts of the HS2 eastern leg.
In addition to the HS2 headlines, it appears proposals to reinstate direct services between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham using conventional tracks are to be rejected.
Local authorities have made their feelings clear in submissions to the House of Commons Transport Committee which is holding an inquiry into the IRP.
East Midlands Councils is a body that represents 40 local authorities across that region.
In a submission to MPs, it said: "It is likely that the economic benefits of the IRP will be less than would have been the case had the eastern leg been built it full.
"Leicester (which is poorly connected to other provincial cities) does not feature to any extent in the IRP.
"The combined sunk cost (and opportunity cost) incurred by councils and by the private sector in supporting the Government's previous HS2 proposals over the last ten years is therefore very considerable."
Now, the councils need to draw up new plans which they want the Government to cover the costs of.
On the other side of the region in the west, councils have sent a paper to the House of Commons inquiry via the West Midlands Rail Executive, a not-for-profit company owned by 16 local councils and chaired by Mr Street.
In its submission, it points out the eastern leg of HS2 has been delayed - it was due to open in 2033 but is now likely to complete in the 2040s.
"HS2 eastern leg in full would have delivered huge connectivity benefits for the West Midlands," it said.
"The loss of the fast high-speed rail link to Leeds and York will undoubtedly lessen the levelling-up potential of HS2."
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