The consultation into a proposed high speed rail link between Birmingham and London was launched this week. Political Editor Jonathan Walker looks at the report.
Claims that high speed rail could create 40,000 jobs and boost the economy by £43.7 billion are to be examined by an independent Commons inquiry following a campaign by MPs.
The announcement was welcomed by campaigners hoping to block the line, who argue the economic benefits have been exaggerated.
The Department for Transport’s consultation claims a high speed line will benefit the economy by £43.7 billion over 60 years, based on what the department calls “conservative assumptions”.
But the Commons Transport Committee is to launch its own inquiry into the economic benefits, at the request of MPs in constituencies affected by the line.
They include Dan Byles (Con North Warwickshire & Bedworth) who said: “With the power to call expert witness, and even ministers, a thorough select committee inquiry and report has the potential to cut through some of the rhetoric and to look calmly at the actual evidence.”
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant (Con) said the inquiry would allow Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to set out the economic case for high speed rail “while, I am sure, the Anti HS2 Alliance and other organisations and individuals will be presenting alternative solutions for our rail system”.
The proposals are a sensitive political issue for the Government, because many of the constituencies affected are represented by Conservative MPs.
But Labour is also tying itself in knots over the issue, after shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said the party would consider “other options to tackle overcrowding” in a policy review.
She warned: “The reality is that a number of other projects will have to be funded in the same parliament as the big spending on high-speed rail is due to happen. We have to question whether the Government can afford all of those things.”
Ms Eagle was apparently slapped down by party leader Ed Miliband in a recent interview, when he said: “I don’t think anybody should be in any doubt that we were the people who brought in high speed rail and we remain supporters of it.”
To complicate matters further, the review is being overseen by Birmingham MP Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) – whose constituency includes the planned new rolling stock depot serving the high speed line, which will create 300 jobs.
The Green Party has come out against the high speed plans following months of internal debate.
Activists voted overwhelmingly to campaign against the project at a conference in Cardiff, saying current proposals table would be “economically and environmentally unsound”.
