HS2 ‘slow death’ is real cost of government dithering - TSSA

Rail union TSSA has accused the government of trying to bring about the “slow death of HS2” after the Transport Secretary admitted that no money will be saved by a two year pause in building parts of the high-speed railway. 

Secretary of State, Mark Harper, today told MPs on the Commons Transport Committee that “in itself, delaying delivering something doesn’t save money.”  

Last month Harper citied inflationary pressures as his reason for two-year delays to the construction of the Birmingham to Crewe leg, with services possibly not entering central London until the 2040s. 

Responding, TSSA Interim President, Marios Alexandrou said: “what we have heard from the Transport Secretary is astonishing – the Tories are making daft decisions which save no money at all but seem to offer only the slow death of HS2.  

“Is Mr Harper really asking us, in 2023, to pause the building in its entirety of a rail project which would boost national, regional and local economies for decades to come because of some temporary economic issues? 

“That is not serious politics and I suggest the Secretary of State takes a longer view, changes his mind and gets fully behind the clean, green, high speed railway Britain badly needs.”