Conservative mayoral candidate Andy Street says he is 鈥渦tterly certain鈥 the Government will continue to back HS2 - blaming national press speculation around its cancellation as 鈥渕anifesto silly season鈥 stories.
Mr Street, who met with his close political ally Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday, says that, while some backbench Conservative MPs may be pushing for a rethink, the Government is sticking to its guns.
Construction on the 拢56 billion high-speed line between London and Birmingham is due to get under way this year - but the snap election called by Theresa May last week has opened up the opportunity for new policies to be put to the electorate for a new manifesto.
And a number of Conservatives whose constituencies line the are opposed.
Asked about it at the Birmingham Mail public debate, Mr Street said: 鈥淚 am utterly certain that the Government is committed to HS2 and that鈥檚 the right decision. That鈥檚 about bold leadership.
鈥淭here will be many people in the Conservative Party who would say it is a good thing to not go ahead and I suspect the manifesto silly season is a wonderful opportunity for them to relaunch their idea.
鈥淏ut the Government has been very decisive and very firm that it will benefit this region because it makes us the centre of the new transport system that鈥檚 going to dominate for the next century.鈥
HS2 is strongly supported by Labour candidate Si么n Simon and Lib Dem Beverley Nielsen.
Mr Simon said: 鈥淭hey are a strange lot but even I find it hard to believe this Conservative administration would pull out of this commitment.鈥
He added that the region should get behind it, saying: 鈥淭his is a rare occasion when a very big exchequer-funded infrastructure project is happening here.
鈥淭he country is paying and we are getting the benefit.鈥
But 海角视频IP and Green Party candidates Pete Durnell and James Burn both said they would like the scheme scrapped.
Mr Burn said evidence suggested the economic benefits would be felt by London, not the West Midlands, and the money would be better spent improving transport links within the region.
The Conservative Party, approached by the , refused to rule out cancellation of the project.
About 拢3bn has reportedly already been spent on the first section from London to Birmingham, with some predictions the total cost could top 拢100bn.
HS2 critic and North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen told The Sun: 鈥淭he election gives us a great opportunity to kill this expensive project.鈥
