Lords to question HS2 Executive Chairman
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will this week quiz HS2 Executive Chairman Sir David Higgins and Jim O'Neill Chair of the Cities Growth Commission as part of its inquiry into the economic case for HS2.
The sessions will be the last public sessions of the inquiry. They will be held on Tuesday 13 January in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords at:
3:35pm
- Sir David Higgins, Executive Chairman, HS2
5:00pm
- Jim O'Neill, Chair, Cities Growth Commission
In the first session the Committee will ask Sir David why the expected costs for HS2 are predicted to cost around ten times higher per mile than the same cost for France's high speed rail network, and how Sir David will ensure the cost of HS2 does not exceed the £50bn funding available.
Questions will also cover whether the estimated benefits of HS2 set out in the economic case are reliable, why Sir David believes that cutting the journey time of London to Manchester will be ‘transformative' for the latter city and what capacity problems there are today on the West Coast Main Line.
In the second session questions will focus on what the Cities Growth Commission found about how transport investment stimulates growth including whether better connectivity between cities in the North should be prioritised above HS2 and what other policies are needed to support economic growth in cities. The Committee will also ask whether the current proposed locations of HS2 stations, some of which are outside of city centres, will reduce the economic benefits the line will provide.
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.
