Ministers delay on HS2
A DECISION on the future of the new high speed rail link between Yorkshire and London is to be delayed while the Government re-assesses the environmental impact of the scheme.
The outcome of a summer public consultation on the first leg of 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.
The first leg of the high speed two network will connect London to Birmingham with later stages seeing further branches taking trains to Yorkshire and Manchester.
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.
