HS2 to supply ‘very poor worth for cash’ after Rishi Sunak scrapped northern leg
The HS2 rail line will provide “very poor value for money” after Rishi Sunak cancelled the northern leg, MPs have warned.
The PM was accused of betraying the North after he scrapped the proposed excessive velocity rail line from Birmingham to Manchester on the Conservative Party convention in October. A report by the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee has now warned that the whole prices of the mission between London and Birmingham now “significantly outweigh benefits” following the choice to cease trains travelling at excessive velocity any additional north.
It warned there are “many as-yet unknown ramifications” of the choice to scrap the HS2 northern leg together with the disposal of land and property now not wanted and impacts on different rail initiatives depending on the cancelled phases.
The committee additionally raised questions on how the high-speed trains will function as a part of the community as they’ll probably must decelerate on current tracks which are designed for slower trains. It famous that the Department for Transport has judged that finishing Phase 1 “was value for money” partly resulting from avoiding £11billion in cancellation prices.
Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour chair of the committee, stated: “Can we seriously be actively working towards a situation where our high-speed trains are forced to run slower than existing ones when they hit older track? Most importantly, how can the Government now ensure that HS2 deliver the best possible value for the taxpayer?”
Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “The fact that the business case for the remaining bit of HS2 has plummeted since the Northern leg was cancelled will not surprise the government. The Department for Transport has already admitted as much.
“The Oakervee Review, published when Rishi Sunak was Chancellor, made clear it was the Northern sections of the route to Leeds and Manchester which justified the cost of the section into London. Instead the North is paying the price of having to placate vociferous local opponents with expensive tunnels through the Chilterns. The government has a lot of work to do to put some meat on the bones of its Network North plans.”
A spokesman for HS2 Ltd stated: “We’ve been clear about our price challenges, which have been compounded by vital ranges of inflation. HS2 Ltd is now underneath new management and implementing adjustments throughout the programme aimed toward controlling prices and studying the teachings of the previous.”
A DfT spokeswoman said: “We disagree with the Committee’s assessment. Their estimated cost figure for Phase One also does not reflect our decision to secure private funding for Euston, or the direction not to proceed beyond the Midlands.
“The Permanent Secretary has already written to the Committee chair setting out her assessment on value for money, and we have repeatedly made clear we will continue to deliver HS2 at the lowest reasonable cost, in a way that provides value for taxpayers.”
