Staffordshire MP claims entire northern route of HS2 could now be in doubt
An MP has suggested the entire northern route of HS2 could be scrapped after a document containing details of £3.6 billion contracts for the line was taken down.
A spreadsheet published on the Department for Transport's website included details of 18 contracts – including one for up to £130 million for an automated people mover (APM) that will shuttle passengers between stations in Birmingham.
However the "future commercial contracts" has now been removed, with the DfT claiming it had been incorrectly published and included inaccuracies.
Sir Bill Cash, Conservative MP for Stone, said the removal of the document raised questions over transparency. He also said it could suggest the line north of Birmingham may never be built.
Sir Bill said: "There is no justification for taking the line one inch beyond Birmingham anyway, and the question that arises now is are they removing [the document] because they no longer consider it necessary to move people through Birmingham?
"It certainly suggests that they are thinking about whether they need to move HS2 northwards at all."
MPs have signed off on the second phase of HS2 from the West Midlands to the north west, and ministers insist it will be built.
But reports suggest a subsequent eastern leg from the Midlands to Leeds will be ditched due to spiralling costs.
Sir Bill, a long time opponent of the budget-busting line, said opposition against HS2 was growing amongst his fellow Conservatives after the party lost the Chesham and Amersham by-election, largely over the issue.
"The act of Parliament that they did pass was done with a great deal of reluctance from a lot of MPs," he added.
"People can see it is a completely unviable project and the chasms are starting to show."
According to the document procurement for the APM contract was due to start within days, but HS2 Ltd now says its value and the start date for procurement will not be published until 2022.
Other spending centred around £2.7bn worth of contracts to build, operate and maintain 54 trains.
Plans for the APM – which is set to run along a 2.3 kilometre route from the interchange to Birmingham Airport – were first revealed in July 2019.
It will be capable of carrying up to 2,100 passengers an hour in each direction.
The DfT told the Express & Star that the document was removed because it contained inaccuracies, as well as some commercially sensitive information and personal information which is subject to GDPR regulations.
Business leaders in the Midlands have called for clarity from ministers over the future of of the eastern leg of HS2 amid claims it is set to be cancelled.
