The Government has launched a review into HS2.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key moments in the history of the project:
– January 2009:
Labour’s Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announces an investigation into a high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands, and potentially further north. Government-owned company HS2 Ltd is formed to consider the case for the line.
– March 2010:
The Government publishes its conclusions in a white paper, finding that there is a good case for high-speed rail and identifying its preferred route between London and the West Midlands.
– January 2012:
Justine Greening, Transport Secretary under the coalition government, announces that HS2 will go ahead. It is to be built in two phases. The first will see construction of a new line between London and Birmingham, before a Y-shaped extension to Leeds and Manchester.
– November 2013:
A Phase 1 hybrid Bill, effectively the planning application for the route between London and Birmingham, is published.
– November 2016:
The Conservative government announces its preferred route for Phase 2 from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.
– February 2017:
The hybrid Bill receives Royal Assent after more than three years of parliamentary scrutiny.
– July 2017:
The winners of £6.6 billion worth of contracts involving the construction of tunnels, bridges, embankments and viaducts are announced.
– July 2017:
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirms the route between the North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire.
– November 2017:
Five bids are shortlisted for a £2.75 billion contract to design and build HS2 trains.
– February 2018:
The Department for Transport says enabling work has begun in preparation for building the railway.
HS2 is a once in a generation opportunity to improve services on major #rail routes, including passenger services to locations not directly served by #HS2.
This will help reduce overcrowding by offering more seats for more passengers on more trains across the country. pic.twitter.com/1GhaWMi69k
— HS2 Ltd (@HS2ltd) August 21, 2019
– December 2018:
Sir Terry Morgan is forced to resign from his positions as chairman of HS2 Ltd and Crossrail Ltd.
– January 2019:
The project’s first tower cranes are assembled at London Euston.
– May 2019:
HS2 Ltd says 9,000 jobs around the UK are now supported by the project, with work ongoing across 250 sites.
– July 2019:
Transport Minister Baroness Vere says £7.4 billion has already been spent on HS2, with a large chunk of the money going towards land and property purchases.
– August 2019:
Boris Johnson’s government announces a review into the scheme.
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