(BUTTON) More HS2 This article is more than 4 months old HS2 could be scrapped as critic given role in independent review This article is more than 4 months old -- * Share via Email Artist’s impression of HS2 train [ ] An artist’s impression of a HS2 train on the Birmingham and Fazeley viaduct. Photograph: HS2/PA The future of the HS2 high-speed rail project has been thrown into doubt after the government launched a “go or no go” review into the proposed £55.7bn network, with a leading critic of the scheme as its -- £100bn”. The HS2 review team and what they say Read more -- The review will be chaired by Douglas Oakervee, a retired engineer who briefly chaired HS2 Ltd and worked with Johnson when he was London mayor. His deputy, Lord Berkeley, a railway expert and Labour peer, is a critic of the project who has repeatedly challenged the Department for Transport’s (DfT) cost figures and warned that budgets were spiralling out of control. HS2 graphic Whitehall sources have been increasingly pessimistic about the project’s future following the appointment of another HS2 arch-critic, Andrew Gilligan, as a Downing Street transport adviser. And Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s senior adviser, was reported to have described HS2 as a “disaster zone” at a meeting last week. The inquiry will examine whether the HS2 scheme linking London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds should be approved, amended or scrapped entirely. Timeline HS2 - over-budget and behind schedule Show Hide January 2009 High Speed Two Ltd is set up by the Labour government to examine possibilities for increasing high-speed rail capacity in the UK. March 2010 -- The transport secretary, Justine Greening, announces the decision to build HS2. April 2012 A judicial review is called into the HS2 decision. March 2013 Lord Justice Ouseley upholds one of the 10 grounds for complaint about HS2 in the judicial review – the claim that the government had acted unfairly and unlawfully when consulting on compensation for homeowners affected by the route. -- The prime minister, David Cameron, describes the project as "absolutely vital" as MPs approve funding. The high-speed rail (London-West Midlands) bill is formally introduced in parliament. June 2015 After freedom of information requests, a 2012 Department for Transport viability report into HS2 is released, revealing the department considered it unaffordable. December 2018 Allan Cook replaces Sir Terry Morgan as chair of HS2, after the latter fails to deliver the opening of the Crossrail project in London on schedule. March 2019 A report from the New Economics Foundation suggests HS2 will deliver the most benefit to London, and exacerbate regional inequality. August 2019 A fresh government review into HS2 is launched, expected to last a matter of weeks and produce a final report by the autumn into whether the scheme should be approved, amended or scrapped entirely. -- The Conservative transport secretary, Grant Shapps, announces that full HS2 services between London and Birmingham will be delayed by up to five years to 2031, and that the final completion of the northern section of the high-speed rail network would likely be delayed by seven years until 2040. He also confirmed the budget had escalated from the official £56bn at 2015 prices to up to £88bn at today’s prices. -- A review of the scheme was promised by Johnson in his campaign to become Conservative leader. The prime minister has said he is in favour of large infrastructure projects, although opposition to HS2 has been widespread among the Tory grassroots. YouGov polling in May showed 49% of Conservative voters opposed building HS2, compared with 40% of the population as a whole. Soon after taking office, Johnson promised to prioritise the building of a high-speed connection between Manchester and Leeds, at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme. However, transport and rail planners say the scheme is dependent on, rather than separate from, HS2. The terms of reference say the review will inform the prime minister’s decision on “whether and how we proceed” with HS2. Phase one to Birmingham has already been approved by parliament, although Treasury funds for the major civil engineering contracts announced in 2017 have -- The review will examine whether Northern Powerhouse Rail could be prioritised over building southern sections of HS2, or whether costs could be cut by modifying plans to build past Birmingham rather than jettisoning the whole project. That could mean reducing line speeds, or -- [Johnson] that the investment needs to be in the north.” HS2: hated by some, halted in parts, but still making progress Read more -- Transport for the North, is a member. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said HS2 was vital, as well as Northern Powerhouse Rail. “People in the north will be wary of this review. There is no elected representative from the north on the -- Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for the north, said “to even suggest cancelling HS2 is a slap in the face”. HS2 needed greater transparency and accountability, he said, but building it was “vital if we’re to rebalance our economy”. Labour backs investment in high-speed rail, but Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, said “improved governance of railway expansion was needed, not least over the HS2 project”. He said Labour wanted “an independent peer review to consider the project’s environmental and economic impact and its governance”. Dr Adam Marshall, the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said HS2 would “attract investment to surrounding areas and rejuvenate local economies”. He added: “Business communities across the UK will be concerned about the potential for further delays to HS2.” The CBI’s director of infrastructure, Tom Thackray, said the business message on HS2 was “clear-cut – back it, build it, benefit from it”. The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “HS2 is vital to the development of the UK economy and there must be no question of it being scrapped.” Anti-HS2 campaigners criticised the review, however, for being led by Oakervee, and “stuffed full of supporters of high-speed rail”. Joe Rukin, the campaign manager of Stop HS2, said: “If this is to be a genuine review, the government must cease all works immediately.” -- Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk. Topics * HS2 * Rail industry -- * HS2: parliament misled about true cost, says Labour peer Deputy chair of government review into project claims HS2 chiefs ‘fiddled the figures’ Published: 5 Jan 2020 HS2: parliament misled about true cost, says Labour peer * HS2 costs head north just as its value falls south Nils Pratley The review panel’s advice to plough on despite rising costs is -- Published: 12 Nov 2019 Published: 12 Nov 2019 HS2 costs head north just as its value falls south * Co-author of leaked HS2 report demands his name is removed Lord Berkeley at odds with chair of the Oakervee review over costs and benefits Published: 12 Nov 2019 Co-author of leaked HS2 report demands his name is removed * Politicians' anger at threat to HS2 Leeds-Sheffield rail route Reports claim eastern extension of high-speed network could be scrapped to cut costs Published: 5 Oct 2019 Politicians' anger at threat to HS2 Leeds-Sheffield rail route * + Clearance of ancient woodlands for HS2 to be halted until review Published: 16 Sep 2019 Clearance of ancient woodlands for HS2 to be halted until review + HS2 to be delayed by up to five years as cost spirals to up to £88bn Published: 3 Sep 2019 HS2 to be delayed by up to five years as cost spirals to up to £88bn + If ministers want to rebalance the economy, they must scrap HS2 Larry Elliott Published: 3 Sep 2019 Published: 3 Sep 2019 If ministers want to rebalance the economy, they must scrap HS2 + View on HS2 from the Chilterns: ‘A big vanity project like Concorde’ Published: 21 Aug 2019 View on HS2 from the Chilterns: ‘A big vanity project like Concorde’ -- (BUTTON) Close [p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&comscorekw=HS2%2CRail+industry%2CRail+tr ansport%2CTransport%2CGrant+Shapps%2CTransport+policy%2CPolitics%2CUK+n ews%2CBusiness]