Stephen Marcos Jones, chief executive of ACE Group, said: “There is a great deal of disappointment amongst our members and there remains much uncertainty about the Prime Minister’s ‘Network North’ announcement and the detail behind it. Construction needs certainty of pipeline to deliver the Government’s infrastructure projects and this situation has not helped.

“I urge the Government to ensure the highly skilled jobs that would have been created are not forgotten when it comes to delivering ‘Network North’ – no matter what form this takes.

The emphasis must now be on ensuring the projects the Prime Minster announced in his speech are delivered on time and on budget, minimising the impact on the organisations currently working on HS2.

What we now need is a commitment and a long-term strategy to restore faith and credibility in the UK’s ability to deliver ambitious infrastructure projects, attracting long-term investment and delivering prosperity to every corner of the nation.”