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Economic Development

Autumn Budget 2024: HS2 and tram extensions - how the Chancellor's statement will impact the West Midlands

Regional Mayor Richard Parker has welcomed the Budget speech, saying it will help 'deliver local priorities'

The new high-speed HS2 line will now run into London Euston, it was confirmed in the Budget(Image: HS2)

The West Midlands is set to benefit directly from elements of today's Autumn Budget.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves put an end to months of rumours and reports and confirmed that new high-speed rail line HS2 would travel all the way into London Euston station.

There had been talk of the high-speed line ending at a new station in Old Oak Common, west London, before switching to conventional tracks to continue its journey into Euston.

The full high-speed line of phase one will now be built between Curzon Street in Birmingham, Interchange in Solihull east of Birmingham Airport and the two stations in the capital.

Autumn Budget 2024: West Midlands business leaders react

The Chancellor also said the Black Country extension of the West Midlands Metro would also be built.

The new line is currently being extended from Wednesbury to Dudley town centre but another section running to Brierley Hill and the Merry Hill centre will definitely go ahead after suggestions it might not be funded.

Other facets of the Autumn Budget which are set to benefit the region include shares of £1 billion to protect bus routes, £500 million for the Affordable Homes Programme and the £240 million 'Get Britain Working' package.

There will also be further support for the region's Innovation Accelerator to develop cutting-edge green and medical technologies and an integrated settlement alongside Greater Manchester in April expected to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.