'I'll never vote for Boris again': Bradford man's fury at being 'lied to' over rail plans

18 November 2021, 16:56 | Updated: 18 November 2021, 16:58

A lifelong Tory voter from Bradford has vented his anger at being "lied to" over promises for rail plans amid anger at the Government's HS2 U-turn.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed on Thursday that the eastern leg of HS2 was being scrapped while the planned Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) was being curtailed.

Bradford has been missed out from the NPR, as the plans originally envisioned.

Chris Williams told LBC he feels that Boris Johnson has "lied" to the North over his promise to bring the high speed rail network to Bradford.

Asked whether he would vote for Mr Johnson at the next election, Mr Williams said: "Not a chance - never.

"I feel upset that we have been used and lied to yet again - the red north.

"I am pretty angry actually."

Mr Williams said the existing connection in Bradford is "ridiculous", adding that the lines are "100 times better" down south, especially in London.

He explained: "London is continuing to get the money and the South-East, but the North is getting left out as usual."

He said there is "no city left" in Bradford, adding "the Conservatives don't care about us".

Read more: HS2: Scrapping of Leeds leg will 'blight the life chances for millions of people'

Read more: Govt slammed for 'betraying the North' as HS2 Leeds leg scrapped

Members of the public in Bradford and Leeds share views on HS2 cancellation

Meanwhile, commuter Jeremy said he feels the scrapping of the eastern leg is a "bit of a cop out".

"I feel sorry for the people in Bradford, but we all expected it," he told LBC.

Boris Johnson insisted it was "total rubbish" that he had broken promises to northerners.

The decision to scrap the Leeds leg has come under fire from many of those in the North.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the North had been given a "distinctly second best" package.

Read more: 'Total rubbish - I haven't broken promises to the North': Boris fires back at HS2 anger

He told a press conference: "Cross-northern connectivity is not the priority that has driven this plan.

"It is a second-class option, a Championship option when we needed a Premier League option, because you cannot level up the North of England on second best and I'm afraid this is distinctly second best.

"The truth of the matter is the North of England is fed up with second best."

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said the rail plan was a "betrayal of the North" and a "betrayal of the Government's levelling-up promise".

The Labour mayor said it was a "20th century upgrade to 19th century infrastructure" rather than the promised new lines.

She said the plan "doesn't deliver HS2 in full to Leeds, it doesn't deliver a high-speed line across the Pennines with that crucial city stop in Bradford, it does not support our ambition as northern leaders for a stronger, fairer and better-connected North for all".

"Whitehall seems not to have listened to northern voices. HS2 will now stop short of Yorkshire and the high-speed Northern Powerhouse Rail will stop at the border. This is not levelling up."

Nigel Harris, the managing editor of The Rail Magazine, told LBC the "life chances for millions of people are being blighted" by the government's U-turn.

"The life chances, the job chances, the economic chances, the opportunity for millions of people is being blighted at a stroke," Mr Harris said.

"The whole levelling up thing was absolutely required and this was a plan that has been 15 years in the making, that's on the brink of being done," Mr Harris explained.