Although the route of HS2 does not travel through the Wycombe constituency, we will be affected by construction. HS2 will intersect the A4010, the emergency route for vehicles travelling to and from the heart and stroke facilities at Wycombe Hospital and the Accident and Emergency Unit at Stoke Mandeville. During questions to the Department for […]
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A Parliamentary Question on HS2
Last week, I had the opportunity to ask the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, Robert Goodwill, a parliamentary question: Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): When construction of High Speed 2 is planned to begin. [904027] The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Mr Robert Goodwill): A […]
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HS2 update: Treasury Committee calls for review of the economic case
The Treasury Select Committee has stated that the economic case for HS2 must be reassessed and updated before the Treasury signs off on the project. In its Latest Spending Round 2013 review the Committee said that, given the recent report by KPMG and published by HS2 Ltd setting out the regional […]
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New report: HS2 alternatives from the 51m Alliance
The 51m Alliance of nineteen local authorities opposed to HS2 (including Bucks County Council) have recently launched their ‘Alternative Investment Strategy’. It challenges the current DfT rationale of ‘capacity’ being the main reason for HS2 and proposes a comprehensive package of national investment in infrastructure to rebalance the nation’s economy. In […]
Read MoreHS2: Update
I have continuously campaigned against a second state-funded high speed rail programme. It is slowly transpiring that the business case is collapsing. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) for phase 1 has fallen from 2.4 in March 2010 to just 1.2 today and 1.4 for the whole of the Y spur […]
Read MoreJustine Greening must review HS2 in the public interest
I’m grateful to StopHS2 for drawing my attention to this video of the Public Accounts Committee hearing at which it was revealed HS2 has a Cabinet Office Major Projects Authority status of red/amber: As The Guardian reported: The latest figures issued by the HS2 high-speed rail scheme have revised down […]
Read MoreHS2 consultants’ services have already cost over £25 million
Last month, I put down a written Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Transport, asking for the remit and cost of the consultants involved in the High Speed Two project. You can read my question and the answer in Hansard here and the text is below. As you can […]
Read MoreCriticising HS2 via the FT
Via High-speed rail link must be built, economists insist – FT.com: Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe, said he was unconvinced that the huge cost of the scheme was justified. “The maths doesn’t add up; this is just sinking capital into a lossmaking project. If you’re going to use the power […]
Read MoreVoters turn against HS2
Via AGAHST: Nearly two thirds of population opposed to money being spent on HS2 A YouGov public opinion poll has found that nearly two thirds of the public oppose money being spent on the planned £32 billion high speed rail link between London and Birmingham (HS2). 64 per cent of […]
Read MoreTransport Committee report on HS2 released
The Transport Committee’s report into High Speed Rail was released today. You can find it here. I voted against the report. In my view, it is too supportive of the present proposals. In committee, a number of us brought forward and voted for amendments which would have softened the report […]
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