City council leader Sir Albert Bore has said that phase two of the high speed rail line from Birmingham to the northern cities is on track whatever.
But Coun Bore refused to openly join the condemnation of his Labour colleague who earlier this week said that the second phase of HS2 should be put off until after an east-west link between northern cities across the Pennines is completed.
The proposed line travelling from Birmingham splitting in a Y-shape to Manchester in the west and Leeds in the east is due to open in 2031 - five years after the London to Birmingham link is completed.
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But now Sir Albert Bore, who is also transport spokesman for the Core Cities group of councils, has said that they welcome Mr Balls' commitment to a high speed rail network but rebutted his comments, confirming that phase two from Birmingham northwards is the next stage as far as they are concerned.
Coun Bore said: “The Core Cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield are united in pushing for a radical and comprehensive modernisation of the 海角视频’s rail infrastructure, based on high speed rail.
“The HS2 “Y” network, from London to Birmingham and on to Nottingham and the northern cities is the next stage in that modernisation.
“We are pleased that all three main political parties are now in support of that vital investment and that the Labour Party has repeated that commitment this week.
“But it is not the end of our ambitions. We want to see a complete High Speed network, including the proposed east-west line across the north and further links across the Midlands and to Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
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“If Britain is going to compete in the 21st century it needs the sort of modern rail network that is already taken for granted in much of Europe, Japan and China. Whoever forms the next government must have the ambition to take forward all of these plans as soon as possible.”
Yesterday for Birmingham and other cities who would see a vital transport link to London delayed.
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said Labour would ask “big questions” about whether the second leg of HS2 - linking Birmingham with Manchester and Leeds - made any sense. And said the proposed east-west HS3 line should jump ahead in the queue.
The Shadow Chancellor said: “The idea that we wait to do east west until after we have done the second phase of north south is topsy turvey, It has no economic or business logic at all.”
Labour had previously backed proposals for the government’s controversial HS2 project, which could cost more than £50 billion, even though Mr Balls was known to have doubts about it.