RISHI Sunak set for new Tory mutiny as cash to reopen railways shut in the 1960s is set to be slimmed down in favour of new buses.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper is considering slashing the £500 million that was set aside to reverse the Beeching cuts that shut dozens of local lines.
Rishi Sunak is considering diverting funds assigned to restoring defunct railway lines
Trending In The News on Sunday understands he wants to prioritise new roads and bus routes, but the Treasury will not hand him extra cash.
They’ve told him to find the money internally, with the Beeching budget potentially slimmed down to pay for roads, sparking a potential row with Red Wall MPs who were promised the new railways.
Sources close to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed officials at the department were also told the cash could come from the £2 billion pot allocated to cycling and walking routes.
In the Autumn statement last year Mr Hunt launched an “Efficiency and Savings Review” in all departments which would “reprioritising spending away from lower-value and low-priority programmes.”
But Mr Hunt believes some Beeching reversals – which was a manifesto commitment – should still happen.
One ex-cabinet minister fumed at the potential cuts last night.
They said: “This is very disappointing. We know they are expensive but they were promised to the nation.
“I know Boris loves railways but I always got the impression Rishi didn’t and thought roads were better.
“But it’s a false economy as a lot of bus routes need to be subsidised.”
The Department of Transport said it would not comment on financial speculation.
But insiders said a long-term plan to run, maintain and upgrade the UK’s transport system will be coming soon.
