Britain's flagship high-speed rail project linking the capital to the Midlands and the North will go to central London, chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed today.
A report in The Sun had suggested that due to soaring inflation HS2 bosses were weighing up a scaling back of the project, including delaying its Euston terminus in London to 2038 or scrapping it altogether.
Other alternatives were said to be a two to five-year delay to the entire project or scrapping the Birmingham to Crewe and Manchester legs.
Hunt, however, said he could not see "see any conceivable circumstances" why HS2 would "not end up at Euston".
In a speech in London laying out the long-term economic plans of the Tory government, Hunt said HS2 had been earmarked as a "specific priority for me in the Autumn statement", adding the government was "absolutely committed to showing that we can deliver big important infrastructure projects".
As well as HS2, the East-West and Northern Powerhouse rail projects are also protected, he said.
The Sun's report had suggested high-speed trains would stop at Old Oak Common in West London’s suburbs rather than into the city centre through a new tunnel.
HS2's costs are already said to be miles over the £44bn phase one budget.
-updates for Jeremy Hunt's comments--