Lords to ask HS2 consultants to justify their predictions for its economic benefit
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will next week take evidence from the consultants who assessed the economic case for HS2.
On Tuesday 21 October from 3:35pm the Committee will put questions to:
- Bridget Rosewell, Volterra Consultants
- Lewis Atter, KPMG
- Jim Steer, Davis Gleave Consultants
This session will focus on:
- How robust are the findings in KPMG's report for HS2 Ltd of a £15bn annual uplift for the UK economy by 2037 as a result of HS2.
- How much shorter journey times are worth to business and whether the journey times stated take account of the length of time to get to the proposed station locations,
- What other policies or investment will be needed to ensure regional cities benefit from HS2.
- Whether alternative rail investment in the existing infrastructure would produce greater economic benefits.
- The impact charging premium fares would have on passenger demand and the predictions made in the economic case.
At 4:30pm the Committee will then hear from Professor Stephen Glaister from Imperial College London who has criticised the economic case the government have set out for HS2.
The Committee will question Mr Glaister on his views on whether there is a strong strategic and economic case for HS2, how reliable HS2's demand forecasts are and whether he believed there is ‘symbiotic' relationship between transport infrastructure and economic growth.
Both sessions will be held in Committee Room 2A of the House of Lords.
The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
