In an effort to dispel rumours that HS2 trains won’t reach central London, chancellor Jeremy Hunt stated that he did not see “any possible scenario” in which the proposed Euston terminus would not proceed.
In order to save money, it had been suggested that the high-speed rail network should permanently end in the capital’s western suburbs and skip downtown London.
When asked if ministers were committed to HS2 going all the way to Euston, Hunt responded, “Yes, we are,” .and I can’t think of any scenarios where that wouldn’t wind up at Euston.
Hunt claimed that in the fall statement, he “prioritised HS2.”
This country doesn’t have a strong track record for delivering complicated, expensive infrastructure swiftly, but I’m immensely proud that, for the first time in the past ten years, under a Conservative government, we have shovels in the ground and we’re going to make HS2 happen, he continued.
Later, the designated spokeswoman for Downing Street echoed his sentiments. No. 10 allayed concerns about a delay by stating that the scheduled building phases stay the estimated delivery dates.
According to the Sun, HS2 officials reportedly considered postponing the Euston terminal until 2038 or abandoning it entirely in order to cut costs on the multibillion-pound project.
After recommendations in the 2019 Oakervee review for Boris Johnson, HS2 had already intended to exclusively operate services from a new hub being built at Old Oak Common, five miles away in the suburbs of west London, when the route opens in about 2030. However, according to The Sun, the government was considering making it the end of the line permanently, forcing travellers to conclude their trips into central London by taking the Elizabeth line.
West of Old Oak Common, tunnelling has begun, although the Euston cutthrough is not yet being constructed. However, numerous residences and businesses in the Euston area have already been destroyed during the years-long HS2 construction around the station.
Axing the line before it reached central London, according to business organisations in the north and south, would be foolish and would jeopardise the plan.
The reports were not expressly denied earlier by the government. According to a representative for the Department of Transportation, the government is still committed to bringing HS2 to Manchester, as stated in the fall statement. In addition to creating tens of thousands of jobs, the project will connect different parts of the UK, increase rail capacity, and offer a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
Regarding the project’s financial and environmental effects, there has been constant criticism.
The leveling-up secretary, Michael Gove, suggested in October of last year that the capital investment for HS2 will be reassessed, but the chancellor ultimately supported the project.
Phase One of the London to Birmingham project was expected to cost £40.3 billion at 2019 prices.
HS2’s overall budget was set at £55.7 billion in 2015.
It was not at all shocking, according to Penny Gaines of the anti-HS2 movement, that prices were out of control.
These reports only indicate that there are so many issues with HS2, she continued. It should be completely cancelled as soon as feasible because the expense is increasing as the delay increases.
Tony Berkeley, who served as vice chairman of the government-commissioned review into HS2 in 2019, thinks the entire endeavour ought to be abandoned.
The Labour peer said, according to the PA news agency: “The option in the press this morning is utilising Old Oak Common as a terminal station, which might work for half the number of trains that they want with a little bit of remodelling but it wouldn’t do the whole thing. They couldn’t accomplish it since there isn’t enough room, with the possible exception of a shuttle service from Birmingham.
Why build HS2 if you only need to reach Birmingham? I believe the entire event should be cancelled.
He argued that rather than speeding up travel to London, funds would be far better spent on strengthening the railway lines in the north, east, and west.
The Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s chief executive, Henri Murison, stated: Old Oak Common simply does not have enough platforms to deliver a full service between London and Manchester, never mind to Leeds and beyond. In addition to the obvious difficulties for travellers needing to change trains to get into central London.
The issue with scaling back large infrastructure projects like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail is that the newer, less expensive iterations ironically offer poorer value for money while failing to bring about the productivity change we were promised.
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