HS2: Pressure mounts on Boris Johnson from all sides after leaked review
Britain’s business groups have demanded Boris Johnson press on with the HS2 rail line as soon as possible, as the pressure mounts on the PM to make a decision on the divisive project.
It comes amid today’s revelations that the government-commissioned review of the scheme is set to predict the cost could rise to £106bn.
However, it will still recommend the project go ahead, according to a leak to the Financial Times.
The review, written by former chairman of the project Douglas Oakervee, also advises the government to hit the pause button on a second phase of the project due to connect Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.
Instead it suggests the government consider conventional train lines to link those cities.
The fresh details have raised further doubts over the future of the project, something rail industry groups sought to put a stop to.
More than 40 construction and rail industry bosses signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to “get HS2 done”.
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“We want to take this opportunity to reiterate not only the devastating impact any curtailment of HS2 would have on our industry, but the detrimental effect cancellation would have on UK Plc more widely in terms of jobs, manufacturing, investment and export potential,” it said.
Lobby groups the Railway Industry Association and the High Speed Rail Group co-wrote the letter.
Meanwhile, the British Chambers of Commerce and transport group Midlands Connect also urged the PM to go ahead with the project.
BCC director general Adam Marshall said: “This project is an investment that will transform the capacity of our railways and the potential of so many areas across the UK.
“While there can be no blank cheque, cutting the project back would put development and investment plans across the country at risk.”
Midlands Connect chairman Sir John Peace added: “To delay and downgrade HS2 north of Birmingham would be a betrayal of the Midlands and the North. We need a modern, fast and reliable railway to link our great towns and cities sustainably.”
Anti-HS2 groups slam cost increase
Despite the calls for the project to go ahead, prominent voices also spoke out against the project.
Lord Tony Berkeley, a vocal critic of HS2 who co-chaired Oakervee’s review until late last year, said the report was a “pretty lukewarm encouragement to the government”.
Berkeley, who released his own dissenting report on the project earlier this month, added that ministers appeared to be “protecting their own arses” with the report.
Chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, John O’Connell, added: “Being forced to come clean on the real financial and political costs of HS2 should be the final nail in the coffin for this white elephant.
“Pressing ahead with the line now would be folly, leaving all taxpayers saddled with a hundred billion bumper bill for a project which sees almost half of the benefits going to London.”
Nick Macpherson, former Treasury permanent secretary, added: “What will it take for our political elite to accept this vanity project is not value for money? Imagine how many sensible rail and road projects could be built with the money.”
Penny Gaines, chair of Stop HS2, said: “We’ve said for a long time that there are massive problems with and within HS2 Ltd, and even the Oakervee review, led by a former chair of HS2 Ltd can’t brush them all under the carpet.”