HS2 has come under more fire today after the Government is set to confirm that the billion-pound scheme will be delayed once again.
The railway line, which was originally set out to provide quicker and better transport links between the south and north of England, has been marred by delays, the cancellation of its northern leg and ballooning costs.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to tell Parliament later today there is ‘no reasonable way to deliver’ the delayed high-speed railway by 2033 and within budget.
She will say she is drawing a ‘line in the sand’ on HS2 over ‘constant scope changes, ineffective construct and bad management’.
Matthew Pennycook, the housing and planning minister, said there are ‘serious problems’ with HS2 and it had made Britain ‘an international laughing stock’ and the Government is ‘determined to turn that around.’
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Meanwhile, HS2 Ltd and its contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci have referred two of its sub contractors to the HMRC over fraud allegations.
The companies allegedly hired employees working on the West Midland leg at inflated rates, according to The I Paper.
Now, Alexander is set to announce two fresh reviews into the scheme which will scrutinise HS2 in an attempt to reset the ill-fated project.
The first will be delivered by HS2 CEO Mark Wild, while the second review focuses on HS2’s behind-the-scenes governance and accountability to decipher what has gone wrong and what can be learned so that the same mistakes can be avoided with future projects, including Labour’s Northern Powerhouse Rail.
HS2 Ltd, the government-owned company building the railway, estimated in June last year that the delayed project would cost between £54 billion and £66 billion.
However, four months ago, MPs warned costs could reach £80 billion.
Where will HS2 stop?
HS2 will run from Euston through Old Oak Common in west London to West Midlands.
New stations will be built in Solihull, near Birmingham International Airport, and at Birmingham Curzon Street.
HS2 was meant to run to Manchester and Leeds, but in 2023 the Conservative government axed the northern leg due to spiralling costs, much to the dismay of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham who called the move ‘profoundly depressing.’
For years, uncertainty surrounded the extension of HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston.
But in October last year, an extension was confirmed in the autumn budget, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves stating the government was ‘committing the funding required’ to begin tunnelling work at Euston station.
Plans are now being drawn up by the government for the works, which are suggested to create HS2 and National Rail services under a single concourse rather than create two separate stations for high speed and standard rail.
When will HS2 open?
The first phase was initially due to launch by the end of 2026.
Now the opening date has been pushed back, and is estimated to be between 2026 and 2033.
When did HS2 construction start?
The HS2 was given the green light to start in 2012 but construction did not begin until 2020.
HS2 has purchased more than 1,000 homes, farms and land along the route to make way for the tracks.
Residents who spoke to Metro previously said they were surprised at the speed in which the steel frame in the backdrop has been thrown up, but did not join in the derision that the massively delayed and over-budget infrastructure project has attracted.
The National Audit Office warned in 2016 that the project was at risk of delays and exceeding its budget.
But former Prime Minister Boris Johnson recommitted to the project in 2020 following another review.
‘HS2 should still stop’
Leading politicians have now minced their words when it comes to HS2.
Speaking to LBC, Matthew Pennicook, said: ‘Because I think, frankly, when it comes to HS2, in some ways, we’re a bit of a laughing stock around the world in terms of how we handle infrastructure. As a Government, we’re absolutely determined to turn that around.’
In a more scathing attack, Lord Tony Berkely said the project should still be stopped after ‘chaos.’
The Labour peer said: ‘Rishi Sunak, after all, cancelled it 18 months ago. That was the previous government but everybody in HS2 seems to have ignored it and the Government’s ignored it by continuing to pour money down it when they should have stopped 18 months ago and they should still stop today.
‘They’ve wasted billions already.
‘I think that the first thing to do is to stop digging when you don’t know what you’re doing and where it’s going to end up, and I would put HS2 into administration. Let the administrators sort it out and then take a clear, simple look at what they want to achieve and get it done in a much more cost effective way.’
How much will HS2 tickets cost?
The ticket costs could change wildly by the time the HS2 opens, but they are expected to be pricier than a standard rail fare.
HS2 tickets could cost up to 30% more than standard rail travel, previous estimates show, but there are no official figures yet.
The higher cost is likely to absorb some of the construction costs and factor in faster journey times.
Inflation at the time of opening will also affect prices and whether the HS2 accepts railcards.
A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: ‘We treat all whistleblower allegations seriously and are continuing to conduct our own investigation. Furthermore, HS2 Ltd has formally reported the allegations to HMRC, and we encourage anyone who believes they may have relevant information, which could support our enquiries, to report it in confidence via HS2’s Speak Out channels.’
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