Engineering news
The government has not made a convincing case for HS2 and needs to answer key questions on rail capacity and economic benefits, the Lords Economic Affairs Select Committee has said.
The £50bn North to South high speed rail line is one of the most expensive infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK and the longest line to be built in the UK for over 100 years.
The project is expected to create up to 40,000 jobs during the first phase of construction between Birmingham and London.
Enabling design and planning work, plus pre-qualification for construction and supply contracts, is planned to begin next year. Royal Assent on a Bill to build and operate phase one of the project is expected by December 2016. Construction is then planned to start in 2017 and be complete by 2026. The second phase, a Y-shaped line from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds is due to be finished by 2032.
However, the report from the Lords committee heavily criticises the government's case for the construction of the contentious railway line.
Lord Hollick, Chairman of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, said: “We have set out a number of important questions on HS2 that the government must now provide detailed answers to.
“Parliament should not approve the enabling legislation that will allow HS2 work to begin until we have satisfactory answers to these key questions.
According to the Committee, evidence on railway usage has not been disclosed by the government because of “commercial sensitivity”. It says this evidence shows that long distance trains in and out of Euston, the planned London terminus for HS2, are on average just 43% full and that overcrowding only occurs on Friday evenings and weekends on long-distance and London-bound commuter trains. Less costly alternatives to alleviate these problems have not been properly reviewed, it says.
The report also points out that the main beneficiary of high speed rail projects in other countries, such as France, is the capital city. It suggests that improvements to the trans-Pennine rail links or building the northern legs of HS2 first, would help rebalance the economy better.
The report adds that costs could also be reduced if the line runs slower – 200mph instead of the planned 250mph.
In addition, the report says that the cost-benefit analysis for HS2 relies on out-of-date evidence, some dating back to 1994 and that “fresh evidence” should be provided before legislation that enables the construction of HS2 is passed.
Lord Holick said: “The plausibility of the Government’s claim that there are current long distance capacity constraints and also its forecast of future passenger demand are difficult to assess without full access to current railway usage. The investment of £50bn investment of public money demands nothing less than full transparency.”
The Department for Transport said: “The case for HS2 is crystal clear. It will have a transformational effect, supporting growth in the north by improving connectivity, freeing up space on our crowded rail network, promoting regeneration, boosting local skills, generating tens of thousands of jobs and helping secure the UK’s future prosperity.
“We have been fulIy transparent about the project. HS2 will deliver over £2 of benefits for every £1 invested and the economic benefit of the project was recognised by MPs of all parties who voted 452 to 41 in favour of HS2 at the second reading of the hybrid Bill."
“Demand for long distance rail travel has doubled in the past 15 years and without HS2 key rail routes connecting London, the Midlands and the North will soon be overwhelmed, stifling growth in towns and cities across the country.”