There are concerns that investment in HS2 could be cut back after cimments over the weekend by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove
Gove raised the prospect of scaling back or abandoning the £71bn line from London to Birmingham and Manchester.
Speaking on Times Radio, he said that investment in HS2 “will be reviewed” as the Treasury seeks to find cost cuts for its Autumn Statement next month.
He said that when we face the particular economic problems that we have at the moment, I’m sure that some capital spending will be cut.”
He added: “Ideally you don’t want to cut long-term capital investment but I am sure some capital investment will be cut.”
The comments follow reports that the cost of the HS2 high-speed train line between London and Birmingham is “likely” to blow its £40.3bn budget unless cost savings are found quickly.
Almost £30bn has been spent or allocated on “phase one” of the route despite the first trains not being due to run until the end of the decade at the earliest, new Transport Secretary Mark Harper has revealed.
The Department for Transport has also revealed that “significant elements” of the original design work on HS2’s Euston station “can no longer be used” after the decision was taken for the station to be scaled back from 11 to 10 platforms.
