THE HS2 Paving Bill to release funds for the preliminary stages of developing the high speed line has been approved by both Houses of Parliament, and only awaits the formal Royal Assent before it becomes law.
The main Hybrid Bill authorising the full HS2 project will now be launched in Parliament on Monday. This will be needed before the £42.6 billion scheme to build HS2 in two phases, from London to Birmingham and then onwards to Manchester and Leeds, can go ahead
But the peer who chairs the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Transport Committee said of the controversial line that 'whichever way it goes it will upset somebody'. Lord Bradshaw was speaking after the Paving Bill had completed its progress through the House of Lords on 19 November. This was also a relative formality, because by convention the Lords do not oppose a 'money Bill'.
Labour supports the scheme in principle, but has sounded warnings about costs. However, most of the peers who spoke in the House of Lords debate were in favour of the project. The Commons had already voted the Bill through by a majority of 316.
The present chief executive of Network Rail, David Higgins, will become the chairman of the government development company HS2 Ltd early next year, replacing Douglas Oakervee. Lord Adonis, who was transport secretary in the last Labour government when it launched the project, has urged David Higgins to get a 'firm grip on management costs'.