THE complex Hybrid Bill authorising Phase 1 of HS2 is set to return to the House of Commons this week for final approval by MPs before receiving Royal Assent, but two opposing groups have launched a last-ditch bid to block the project before it has been legally authorised.
The two groups are the Taxpayers' Alliance, which refuses to accept the official cost of £56 billion for all phases, including rolling stock, and claims that the figure will be more like £90 billion, and Friends of the Earth, who back high speed rail in principle but say the HS2 routes are badly chosen.
The TA is pointing to other major schemes, such as the Jubilee line extension in London and the Channel Tunnel, both of which cost much more than forecast. However, Crossrail is currently said to be running on time and on budget, defying the view of academic Bent Flyvbjerg, who is Professor of Major Programme Management at Oxford University, and who has defined what he describes as the 'iron law of megaprojects: Over budget, over time, over and over again'.
FoE is unhappy for a different reason -- the lack of a connection between HS2 and HS1. FoE director Craig Bennett told the BBC: "We think the money would be much better spent on a range of much smaller sustainable transport infrastructure projects to deliver real improvements to regular commuters and other train travellers over a far quicker timescale."
The Department for Transport said: "HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail network – creating more seats for passengers, supporting growth and regeneration and helping us build an economy that works for all.
"We are keeping a tough grip on costs and the project is on time and on budget at £55.7 billion."