Politics

Stephen Barclay says HS2 WILL go ahead despite £106bn price -with scrapping it costing £12 BILLION


A SENIOR Cabinet Minister has suggested HS2 WILL go ahead despite the £106bn price -as it emerged scrapping the scheme will cost £12 BILLION.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay suggested the 25mph hour line will be given the go ahead despite spiralling cost estimates.

 Stephen Barclay backed HS2 to go ahead

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Stephen Barclay backed HS2 to go ahead

The fallout over the massive infrastructure project could spark a Tory civil war and issue Boris Johnson with his first real headache as PM.

Mr Barclay said the project which was heavily criticised by the Government’s spending watchdog was a “key part” of their plan to “level up” the nation.

Speaking on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show he said: “We have a strong commitment to levelling up all parts of the United Kingdom. High-speed two is a key part of that – not just from speed but more from a capacity point of view in the line.

“And that is a very clear commitment we have given the North.”

Asked on Andrew Marr if his gut feeling on the project going ahead was yes or no, he said: “Yes.”

A No.10 source said: “It will be a decision made by the Prime Minister which will be coming in the next week or two.

“I wouldn’t read anything into this, as he just gave his gut feeling on the issue.”

Whitehall’s spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) said last week that HS2 is over budget and behind schedule because its complexity and risks were under-estimated by bungling transport chiefs.

And a leaked report by former HS2 Ltd chairman Doug Oakervee said project’s bill could reach £106 billion.

Phase One between London and Birmingham was due to open in 2026, but full services are now forecast to start between 2031 and 2036.

Phase Two, a Y shaped line will connect the route from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester.

At least £8 billion has already been spent on HS2, but some reports estimate scrapping the line will cost £12 billion.

Over 40 Tory MPs have written to Boris Johnson urging him not to scrap the scheme, while new Red Wall Tory MPs have called for the infrastructure project to be ditched in a bid to divert the cash into local transport projects.

New ‘Red Wall’ Tory MPs appear in a video telling Boris Johnson how they could spend the HS2 train cash in their constituencies


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