Taxpayers have stumped up £20million offered in compensation to homeowners affected by the planned high speed rail line - even though Ministers are still considering whether or not to build it.
The cash was offered to 34 homeowners living near the planned route of the 225mph HS2 line who “urgently need to sell their properties”.
It was provided as part of a scheme announced last July to help people who found it impossible to sell their homes because of speculation about noise and other problems that high speed rail might cause.
The idea was to ensure residents didn’t suffer while the Government held a consultation about whether to build the service, which continues until July 29.
If high speed rail goes ahead, trains will run from London Euston to new stations near Birmingham Airport and in Birmingham city centre.
The line will eventually be extended northwards to both Manchester and Leeds, at a total cost of £32 billion. The Department for Transport claims it could create 8,000 jobs in the West Midlands alone.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond revealed that offers of compensation have been made to 34 applicants, coming to a total of £19,920,000.
A further four applications to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been accepted and are awaiting valuation.
In a parliamentary written answer to Tory Dan Byles (North Warwickshire), an opponent of the plan, Mr Hammond said: “Thirty-eight applications have been accepted and the total value of 34 of these properties, calculated by the sum of formal offers made to applicants, is £19,920,000, giving an average property value of £585,882.35.
“HS2 Ltd is currently awaiting valuations on the other four properties that have been accepted.”
Emma Boon, campaign director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s shocking that the Government has agreed huge compensation payments when not a single piece of track has been laid yet.
“The Department for Transport and the House of Commons Transport Select Committee are still consulting on whether the project is even a good idea.
“This is further evidence that the high speed rail project is going to be an expensive white elephant.
“At a time when the Government needs to cut spending, it’s foolish to waste taxpayers’ money on a £32 billion train for the rich.
“More affordable and better alternatives to improve our rail infrastructure and get the capacity the network needs urgently need to be explored.”
