HS2 will be delayed by another two years and major roadbuilding schemes will be mothballed, ministers have confirmed, after soaring inflation added billions to the cost of transport infrastructure projects.
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High Speed 2 (HS2) is a planned high-speed railway line in England, the first phase of which is under construction in stages and due for completion between 2029 and 2033, depending on approval for later stages.
Northern HS2 line set to be scrapped with costs 'out of control', Sky News understands. The planned railway - announced by the last Labour government but backed by successive Tory administrations - is intended to link London, the Midlands and the North of England but has been plagued by delays and rising costs.
The HS2 rail line has been given an unachievable rating by an official watchdog. It has been given a red warning for its first two phases - from London to Birmingham then onto Crewe - by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
HS2 will be Britain's second purpose-built high-speed line after High Speed 1, which connects London to the Channel Tunnel. The majority of the project is planned to be completed between 2029 and 2033.
The main gain of HS2 is that it frees up space on the rail network for more freight services. This point has often been missed in discussions about the project. There is no doubt that there would be environmental gains. The passenger gains are less compelling and less urgent.
HS2 will free up capacity on the existing lines, enabling more local commuter services and more freight services – more freight trains will help take lorries off the road and provide environmental benefits. The project has had a negative effect on economic, social and environmental factors.
China initially relied on high-speed technology imported from Europe and Japan to establish its network. Global rail engineering giants such as Bombardier, Alstom and Mitsubishi were understandably keen to co-operate, given the potential size of the new market and China's ambitious plans.
It Won't Help and May Hurt the Economy. Studies have found that high-?speed trains can generate new economic development near the stations where the trains stop. However, the same studies show that economic development slows in communities not served by such trains.
We are already committed to using zero carbon electricity to power HS2 trains, which will be some of the quietest and fastest in the world. Reliable, long-distance train travel between the North, the Midlands and the South East will be emission-free.
The government says HS2 will cut the time for this journey to 49 minutes, making it 30 minutes faster than now. Importantly, the line will start at Euston, in central London, rather than a new station to the west of the capital as some had speculated in recent weeks.
How much will tickets cost? There is likely to be a premium of between 20 and 33 per cent for using the fast service. That would in theory push the cost of a London-Manchester Anytime ticket from £180 to £240 at 2020 prices, which works out at 6p per second.
HS2 will also play a crucial role delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail – the backbone for an integrated northern rail network. Together these better connections will help to level-up the country.
Other groups opposing HS2 include the HS2 Action Alliance, The Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The group has a chairperson, a treasurer and a campaign manager, relying on donations to pay them. In 2011, it made a fundraiser to pay its campaign manager Joe Rukin.
HS2 plagued by delaysThe initial opening date of 2026 has fallen back to 2033, while cost estimates have spiralled from about £33bn in 2010 to £71bn in 2019 - excluding the final eastern leg from the West Midlands to the East Midlands.
Journeys between Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston will take just one hour and 11 minutes on HS2, 54 minutes quicker than today's fastest time by rail.
HS2 was originally envisaged to operate more trains an hour and higher speeds than any comparable high-speed line elsewhere in the world. It has been estimated that this pushed up costs by about 10 per cent.