Executive Chairman of HS2 gives evidence
13 January 2015
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will question the 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.
- Parliament TV: The Economic Case for HS2
- Inquiry: The Economic Case for HS2
- Select Committee for Economic Affairs
Witnesses
On Tuesday 13 January 2015 at 3.35pm in Committee Room 1 of the Palace of Westminster
- Sir David Higgins, Executive Chairman, HS2
At 5pm:
- 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.