“Unrealistic timetable” of HS2 criticised as Sheffield plans emerge

THE planned timetable of HS2 has been lambasted as “unrealistic” a day after it was announced that the city centre positioning of Sheffield station had been decided.

The National Audit Office report said that the £55.7bn scheme was “too ambitious” in its timings, and that the first phase opening date, connecting London and the West Midlands in 2026 was “at risk.”

The next extension would bring Manchester and Leeds together by HS2 and is due to be finished by 2033.

The NAO said that The Department for Transport has asked HS2 Ltd to revisit the programme schedule in order to increase confidence for delivery from 60 % to 80%, without increasing costs.

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office said: “HS2 is a large, complex and ambitious programme which is facing cost and time pressures.

“The unrealistic timetable set for HS2 Ltd by the Department means they are not as ready to deliver as they hoped to be at this point. The Department now needs to get the project working to a timescale that is achievable.”

This follows an announcement yesterday by Julie Dore that the HS2 station in Sheffield would be located in the city centre, a triumph for the council which had campaigned for the site over a Meadowhall location.

The council spent £190,000 on the campaign according to the BBC.