Where now for HS2? PAC holds inquiry after cancellation of Northern leg
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) holds an evidence session on the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail programme at 10am on Thursday 19 December, following the National Audit Office’s recent report on the topic.
Meeting details
The session will likely see MPs challenge senior officials from the Department for Transport (DfT) and HS2 Ltd on what costs and benefits HS2 will now bring the taxpayer, following the cancellation of its Northern leg. While the cancellation and the decision to privately finance the connecting line and new station at Euston has significantly changed the costs and benefits of the overall programme, costs had already begun increasing on the London-Birmingham line (Phase 1).
DfT and HS2 Ltd have also disagreed on how much it will cost to complete the scheme. Prior to the cancellation of the Northern leg, DfT expected Phase 1 to cost £45bn-£54bn (in 2019 prices), against a funding envelope of £44.6bn. HS2 Ltd’s estimates were higher, at £49bn-£57bn. Over £30bn had been spent on the programme as at March 2024.
The PAC is also likely to examine progress with changes at HS2’s Euston terminus, the overall scope of which is now larger, with the planned incorporation of more commercial development and new housing. The session is also likely to see discussion around how the cancellation of the Northern leg programme is being managed, including the closing down of construction sites and disposal of land and property no longer needed.