Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to release safeguarded land in (a) Elmet and Rothwell constituency and (b) the City of Leeds in the context of the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2b.

The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands set out the Government’s plans for HS2 East from the West Midlands to the East Midlands and committed to considering the optimal way for HS2 to serve Leeds. Terms of Reference for the study will be published soon.

As a result, the Government confirmed it would maintain existing safeguarding and property schemes along the route of HS2 Phase 2b until a decision following this study is taken.

In the meantime, retaining safeguarding provides continued access for affected property owners to the full range of statutory and non-statutory property schemes that are available on the rest of the HS2 route.

If decisions are taken that safeguarded land is no longer essential for future plans, then safeguarding would be lifted and any property acquired in those areas sold.