Greening was careful not to give too much away when she was questioned on her support for HS2. This is no surprise, as it was Hammond who championed the project, and the location of her constituency has put her in a more difficult position than he was.

The appointment of a new transport secretary gave Stop HS2! campaigners fresh hope that the project could be rejected later this year.

But in recent comment, Greening acknowledged the benefits of HS2, and said that it is right to consider the project. By stating that she would not approach the subject emotionally, she suggested that a knee-jerk opposition would be out of the question.

It would be a major reversal of Government policy if Greening did announce a U-turn on the plans: but her different approach may yet see some changes made to the proposal.