HS2 needs government support, not more dithering and debate November 21, 2019 Last week, a leaked draft of the HS2 review revealed recommendations that the controversial project should go ahead as planned. This has sparked some debate, with opponents citing the project’s escalating costs and delays. Yet, when builders’ timescales and budgets for even small-scale domestic construction projects are almost always optimistic and therefore taken with a [...]
HS2: Leaked report means controversial project is now an election issue November 13, 2019 The HS2 high speed rail line has long been the problem child of British infrastructure. Now, at a decade old and with a final decision on its future fast approaching, it is hurtling towards its difficult teenage years. Yesterday, a leaked draft of the government-commissioned review into the project cast yet more doubt on how [...]
Deputy chair of leaked HS2 review slams ‘whitewash’ report November 12, 2019 The deputy chair of the government-commissioned review into HS2 has savaged a late draft of the report, which urges ministers to press on with the project. Lord Tony Berkeley, who was co-author of the report until a matter of weeks ago, has written to chairman Douglas Oakervee demanding his name be removed from the document. [...]
HS2: Leaked report urges government to press on with rail project November 12, 2019 The High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line connecting London to Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds should go ahead in its entirety despite the likelihood of massive budget overruns and falling benefit to the taxpayer, according to a draft of the official review into the project. Douglas Oakervee, a former chair of HS2 who was tasked with [...]
HS2 ‘fundamental’ to hitting UK emissions target, says lobby group November 11, 2019 The HS2 rail project is “fundamental” to the UK hitting its net zero emissions target by 2050, according to a report commissioned by rail industry bosses. HS2, which is planned to link London with the north of England and Scotland via trains travelling at more than 200mph, will mean fewer people take cars and short-haul [...]
Boris Johnson ‘wary of putting HS2 on scrap heap’ November 10, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has yet to make his mind up on the High Speed 2 rail project but called it “incredibly expensive” late last week, as a government-commissioned review into its future enters its final stages. Speaking on the campaign trail in Nottingham near one of the railway’s planned stops, he said he was [...]
HS2 review still unfinished, with no final decision expected until after election November 3, 2019 A decision on whether to proceed with the controversial HS2 rail project appears to have been pushed back until after the upcoming General Election, amid uncertainty over how it will feature in party manifestos. Lord Tony Berkeley, the deputy chairman of the official review into the high-speed rail scheme, said the report remains unfinished, with [...]
HS2 review panel considers axing eastern extension October 5, 2019 The High Speed 2 rail project could be scaled back in northern England to cut costs. Under plans drawn up by the panel reviewing the project, the route beyond the East Midlands to Leeds and Sheffield would be axed. Train speeds would also be cut by 40mph, in a bid to save more than £10bn, [...]
Brexit fatigue? Public Accounts Committee turns to issues with ‘immediate impact on public’ September 29, 2019 An influential parliamentary committee has decided to turn away from Brexit over the coming weeks to focus its spotlight on other issues which have “an immediate impact on the public”. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which scrutinises the value-for-money of public spending, has announced it will launch inquiries on matters including fracking, the HS2 rail [...]
Heidi Alexander: It would add ‘insult to injury’ if HS2 skips Euston September 12, 2019 It would add ‘insult to injury’ if High Speed Two (HS2) did not stop at Euston, London’s deputy mayor for transport has said. Read more: Businesses react as HS2’s price tag balloons to £88bn Former shadow cabinet minister Heidi Alexander said communities in London had already experienced “considerable disruption” around Euston, where HS2 is due [...]