A critical year for HS2’s prospects beyond Birmingham

With HS2 under the spotlight at two Parliamentary committee hearings in December, PHILIP HAIGH examines the plans for a reset in 2025

Philip Haigh Contributing Writerrail@bauermedia.co.uk

2025 will be a make-or-break year for High Speed 2. The project needs a comprehensive reset, according to the Department for Transport, which could not tell MPs of the Public Accounts Committee on December 19 how much Phase 1 (London-Birmingham) would cost. DfT Permanent Secretary Dame Bernadette Kelly told the committee that she had no agreed cost estimate for HS2. The figure she had from HS2 Ltd of £54 billion-£66bn was not assured, she said, which means that it’s not a figure with which DfT agrees. Her frank admission puts into perspective comments from Rail Minister Lord Hendy at the earlier Transport Select Committee on December 11, when he replied to a question about Phase 2 by saying that Phase 1 must be fixed first. This strongly suggests that Phase…

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