HS2 costs continue to soar after control was lost, MPs are told
HS2 contracts which should have cost 19.5 billion pounds in total have already risen in price by another 6.5 billion, according to HS2 CEO Mark Wild. Mr Wild was giving evidence to the Commons Transport Committee. He said that there had been ‘optimism bias’ when projects were being costed, and that the control of the scheme had been lost.
The number of daily trains between London and Amsterdam will rise to five in December, following the completion of a new international terminal at Amsterdam Centraal in February.
Politicians and business leaders in the regions have been voicing their dismay after several railway upgrades were ‘paused’ indefinitely by the Department for Transport. More than 50 road and rail schemes were confirmed two days ago using money allocated in the Spending Review, but schemes on hold include further electrification of the Midland Main Line.
A Great Western Railway Intercity Express has been named for Cyril Bleasdale. He was the first director of InterCity in the early 1980s and then moved on after his retirement from British Rail to help found the company which bought the BR staff newspaper Railnews. His name was unveiled on platform 8 at London Paddington by his wife Katy.
Investment in rail and road schemes announced in last month's spending review has been confirmed by the Department for Transport, but one transport campaigning group has criticised the proportion to be spent on new roads.
The Black Country Innovation Manufacturing Organisation in Dudley has been placed in Administration. BCIMO included the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, and the site had been well known for testing a Very Light Rail system, which is planned for Coventry.
Work to modernise the Liverpool to Wrexham line is going ahead. Upgrades on the line at Padeswood have been confirmed as the first major step to run more trains.