The case for HS2 has taken a knock from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.
The Committee said the Department for Transport was failing to present a “convincing strategic case”, that there is no evidence the line would help economies around the country, and that “The department has yet to demonstrate that this is the best way to spend £50bn on rail investment in these constrained times.”
The BBC reports that the committee doubted the numbers the expected benefits were based on. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin insisted the case for HS2 was still clear.
There are plans for a major interchange between HS2 and Crossrail at Old Oak, which could produce up to 10,000 homes and 70,000 jobs on largely unused land. However, if HS2 doesn’t go ahead, the plan could still come off, as Network Rail are said to be looking at making an interchange with the West Coast Mainline at the same location, amid concerns over capacity at Euston Station.
