Nine out of 10 have doubts on HS2 date
Public confidence in the £33 billion high speed rail line being completed on time and to cost is low, it emerged today.
Only eight per cent of people believe HS2 will be finished within its proposed budget, and just 11 per cent think it will be on schedule, says an independent survey.
However, findings revealed an overall sense of approval for HS2, with 52 per cent in favour compared to 18 per cent against and 30 per cent who are uncertain.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said: "Most long-term projects do over-run and do bust the budget."
The first phase of the high speed rail line from London to Birmingham aims to be running by 2026 at a cost of £16.3 billion, with the second phase from Birmingham in a Y-shaped extension to Leeds and Manchester operational by 2033 costing £16.8 billion.
Despite the apparent lack of public confidence in the project meeting time and cost deadlines, just over half of those questioned thought that HS2 would ultimately benefit the economy.
Ticket prices were ranked as the most important factor in whether people will use HS2 by two thirds of respondents.
Speed was cited by 24 per cent despite it being the main advantage of the new train, and station location by 10 per cent.
David Black of market research firm Consumer Intelligence, which did the survey, said it was "alarming" that far more of those intending to use HS2 will primarily do so based on the ticket price rather than the speed of the journey.
However, Mr Fabricant said: "Clearly pricing will play an important part in who uses the train.
"To me, living in Lichfield, the only advantage will be the eventual freeing up of the capacity on the West Coast line, enabling more tilting trains to stop at Lichfield Trent Valley.
"Currently only two run down to London each day because the West Coast main line is running at full capacity.
"The Coalition did not do itself any favours by citing speed as the main justification of HS2 .
"It is not. At present, any hold-up on the West Coast mainline causes three to five hour delays due to the capacity issue and that's what HS2 will address."
HS2, with speeds of up to 250mph, will almost halve journey times from Birmingham to Manchester to 41 minutes, and to Leeds from two hours to 57 minutes, while phase one will cut London-Birmingham travel to 49 minutes, from the current one hour and 24 minutes.
The plans have come in for criticism from campaigners because it would rip up swathes of countryside near Lichfield.
