HS2 announcement delayed

A DECISION on the proposed High Speed 2 rail link is to be delayed while the Government re-assesses the environmental impact of the scheme.

The outcome of a summer public consultation on the multi-billion pound project had been expected before the end of the year.

However, reports over the weekend have suggested new Transport Secretary Justine Greening is prepared to delay the announcement to calm fears about the impact of the new rail line in leafier parts of the country.

The delay will enable transport planners to look again at the route of the railway through parts of the Chilterns, in particular whether a new tunnel should be dug to re-route the line away from the town of Amersham.

The move has been welcomed by environmentalists, however, it will cause concern to the business community which is anxious to see the new line built as quickly as possible because of the expected economic benefits it will create.

Birmingham is intended to be the hub of the high speed rail network and estimates are that it will create 22,000 jobs for the area and be worth £1.5bn per year to the regional GDP.

The 100-mile rail link, which would be built between 2016 and 2026, aims to cut the London-to-Birmingham journey time to 49 minutes.

A Y-shape spur north of Birmingham will allow separate high speed lines to be built linking the network to Manchester and Leeds.

The decision to re-examine the route follows a report by the House of Commons Transport Committee last month, which suggested a delay could allow for a fuller analysis of the route and the spending implications.

The outcome of the delay is now expected in mid-January.