Institution responds to Higgins report on HS2

The Institution's Dr Colin Brown welcomes the new report on HS2 by Sir David Higgins and says accelerating the construction of the northern section of the project, as Higgins suggests, would mean we could help bridge the North South economic divide more quickly.

Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to today’s HS2 Plus report by Sir David Higgins:

"The recommendations in this report are very welcome. HS2 is a vital project for increasing transport capacity and improving connectivity in the North. A properly integrated and efficient transport system is critical to creating a balanced economy and accelerating the construction of the northern section of the project, as Higgins suggests, would mean we could help bridge the North South economic divide more quickly.

 “Engineering risks are not the cost drivers for the project, confidence and forward planning are key to keeping the costs down and it is down to Government to ensure we get the legislation right to make the HS2 project happen.

 “We have been recently ranked 24th by the World Economic Forum in an international league table for the quality of our infrastructure here in the UK.  HS2 is an important step towards lifting our transport infrastructure out of its 19th century roots into the needs of the 21st century and beyond."