HS2 go-head

Described by Government as "Britain’s new railway", High Speed 2 (HS2) has been formally given a go-ahead with the issue of a ‘Notice to proceed’ by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Construction is to begin in line with Public Health England advice during the coronavirus outbreak.

HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “While the Government’s top priority is rightly to combat the spread of coronavirus, protect the NHS and save lives, we cannot delay work on our long-term plan to level up the country.

“HS2 will be the spine of the country’s transport network, boosting capacity and connectivity while also rebalancing opportunity fairly across our towns and cities.

Following the decision earlier this year to proceed with the project, this next step provides thousands of construction workers and businesses across the country with certainty at a time when they need it, and means that work can truly begin on delivering this transformational project.”

Contracts have been awarded to four joint venture companies.  The DfT has published what it calls “the new full business case High Speed 2 Phase One,” setting out the strategic and economic case for the project and outlining how it will deliver a positive return on investment, alongside boosting capacity and connectivity needed in towns and cities across the country, delivering on the government’s levelling up agenda.

www.gov.uk/transport/hs2-phase-one

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Simon Grigor, Harrow

I'm surprised to read this. In the post-coronavirus world, will an increase in rail capacity still be needed? Will getting to destinations 30 minutes faster really still be a priority? I'd have thought we need to put this on hold for a while and concentrate public funding on areas of higher priority.