Since its sudden introduction as a supposed replacement for the cancelled second phase of HS2, Rishi Sunak’s ‘Network North’ scheme appears to be provoking more questions than answers.

Significant changes to water down promises originally included in the days-old plan have already been made.

A pledge of £100m for a mass transit system in Bristol was simply deleted while a statement that the reclaimed money meant the North East’s Leamside Line “will be reopened” was amended to instead state funding “could part fund the reopening”.

Now new Yorkshire Post analysis has showed that there are major question marks over the Yorkshire schemes included in ‘Network North’.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers his keynote speech at the Conservative Party annual conference at Manchester Central convention complex. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Four of the regional projects listed by the Government as benefiting from the redistribution of HS2 money currently do not have final cost estimates available – meaning there can be no certainty that losing HS2 means these other schemes will see the light of day.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has told the BBC that the Network North document is merely a list of “examples” of “the kinds of things” money could be spent on rather than anything definitive.

Indeed, a footnote in the Government document states all of the schemes they are promoting as an alternative to HS2 are “subject to the approval of business cases”.

Taken together, it means the Government has cancelled the certainty of a high-speed rail line serving the North and Midlands that was more than a decade in the planning in favour of a series of hypothetical schemes that run the risk of either requiring much more funding or simply not coming to fruition at all.

It is little wonder there is growing cynicism about whether much of ‘Network North’ will happen as billed.

Much of Rishi Sunak's 'Network North' may never see the light of day: The Yorkshire Post says