Newly appointed transport secretary Chris Grayling has signalled that the government remains committed to the £50bn high speed rail line.
He added: “The thing that’s important for people to understand is that HS2 is not simply a speed project, it’s a capacity project.
“We have lines at the moment which have seen huge increases in the number of passengers, the amount of freight in recent years.
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“Of course it makes sense if we’re going to build a new railway line for it to be a fast railway line, to reduce travel times from north to south – that’s logical.
“But actually we need a better transport system for the 21st century and HS2 is part of increasing the capacity of our transport system.”
Phase one of the scheme is expected to cost £27.4bn and the green light for work to start is due later this year. The first round of contracts worth £11bn are due to be awarded in the coming months.
Though the news is positive in that it signals a commitment to infrastructure under the new May administration, the industry is desperate for decision on a third airport runway at Heathrow.
Gatwick Airport continues to ramp up its lobbying efforts – as London mayor Sadiq Khan reaffirmed his support for the airport over Heathrow. Khan was officially at Gatwick to congratulate the airport’s decision to increase inward investment by £200m, taking its 2016-21 capital programme to £1.2bn, including expansion of the north and south terminals.
“Gatwick is the front door to London for millions of visitors to our city and I salute their decision to spend another £200m on improvements to the airport. They have put together a formidable plan that is a fantastic display of their confidence in London,” Khan said.
“The new prime minister has a very important decision to make regarding new airport capacity, and I urge her to rule as swiftly as possible in favour of a second runway at Gatwick, which would bring substantial economic benefits.”
Images: Gavinbarwell.com; Bengummer.com
