HS2 ‘dither’ could push back start date to 2030

THE Government has faced sharp criticism for failing to prepare the legislation needed to get the HS2 high speed rail project moving.

Labour peer and former transport secretary Lord Adonis said the Birmingham-London HS2 link, which is due to start operating in 2026, may now move back to 2030. This could have a knock-on effect on the impact for the planned extension to Manchester and Leeds – currently scheduled to be introduced in 2032-33.

Lord Adonis blames “dither and delay” by ministers.

He said he feared the legislation needed for the project may not be passed within this parliament.

“They’ve carried out one consultation but we still don’t have the legislation to get the line up to Birmingham, they’re delaying consultation on the compensation scheme and they still haven’t published the routes north of Birmingham,” he said.

Business leaders have also been pushing the Government to get moving on the scheme, not least because of the number of construction industry and related sector jobs that will be created by the project.

But the Government has rejected claims it is dithering and says it is keeping to its published timetable for completing the necessary legislation.

Transport minister Theresa Villiers said suggestions that the coalition was slowing down on HS2 were “just not true”.