Rishi Sunak said axing HS2 had enabled investment in buses

The prime minister visited a bus depot in Harrogate on Monday

Rishi Sunak has insisted "every penny" saved by scrapping the northern leg of HS2 will be spent in the North.

The prime minister spoke while visiting a bus depot in Harrogate on Monday.

He said the £2 bus fare cap was thanks to the government's decision to cancel the extension of HS2 north from the West Midlands.

He said buses were the most "popular form" of public transport and the decisions he had made had allowed more investment in them.

When asked when he was last on a bus in Yorkshire, Mr Sunak said in his job it was difficult.

"My transport is slightly taken out of my hands these days," he replied.

On the visit, Mr Sunak was shown around the latest electric buses at the depot in Harrogate and spoke to apprentice bus drivers and engineers.

"Every penny from HS2 in the North, almost £20bn, is going to stay in the North," he said.

"We're here at a bus depot, which is benefiting from the £2 bus fare," he said.

"Buses are the most popular form of public transportation and because of the decision I made we are able to invest more money in buses."

"Talking to the team here, as a result of that policy, they've seen a 15% increase in bus numbers in this area."

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Following the decision to axe the extension of HS2, the government said it would enable them to invest in numerous transport projects across northern England.

The £2 cap on many single bus fares in England was introduced in January 2023.

It was due to rise to £2.50 from November last year, but it was kept at £2 as part of Network North.

Mr Sunak said the area was benefitting from a £2 bus fare cap

During his visit, Mr Sunak was also asked about other issues affecting North Yorkshire, including why his government was not committing to upgrading the A64 York to Scarborough, to which he replied that he knew "how important" it was to get it right - despite plans to delay the project until 2030.

And Mr Sunak said an extra £600m was being "put into local government and across the north broadly" when he was asked about North Yorkshire Council seeing a shortfall of at last £30m in their latest budget.