Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced on Thursday she had formally lifted safeguarding protections for the majority of the land intended to take HS2 to Leeds.
More than 550 properties along the Yorkshire route of Phase 2b were bought by the taxpayer through HS2 Ltd because they were set to be levelled by the railway.
Heidi Alexander formally lifted safeguarding protections for the majority of the land intended to take HS2 to Leeds (Photo: Jaimi Joy/Reuters)She announced the safeguarding changes in a six-monthly written update to Parliament on HS2. Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes. Removing safeguarding means the process of selling it can begin.
Ms Alexander also revealed the up-to-date spending figure for the now cancelled Phase 2 of the project is £2.6bn. This includes hundreds of properties which were also bought for the western leg of Phase 2, which was supposed to take HS2 to Crewe and Manchester.
HS2 CEO Mark Wild (right) visits the Old Oak Common station box site alongside Rail Minister Lord Hendy (left) earlier this month (Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)Ms Alexander announced last month there was “no route” to meet the target date of having HS2 services running by 2033. The first phase was initially scheduled to open by the end of 2026, but this was later pushed back to between 2029 and 2033.
It comes after The i Paper revealed that Sir Keir Starmer risks a revolt among Northern leaders amid fears Labour will not deliver the major rail investment in has promised.
square HS2 ExclusiveHS2 fails to rent out mansions it forced owners to leave - costing taxpayers millions
Read More
“We don’t have a clear picture of what the government are trying to achieve in the North,” he said.
“The loss of the eastern leg reduces the usage and value for money of the section towards London, a situation exacerbated when the western side of Phase 2A to Crewe and 2B to Manchester was later cancelled by then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak,” he told The i Paper.
“Many of us in the business community strongly support completing Midland Main Line electrification to enable – with relatively limited new infrastructure – a connection to HS2 at the junction still being built and funded for that purpose in Phase 1 of HS2.
“Just because the preiovus government start building the railway from the south, rather than the north as leaders in Manchester and Leeds called for at the time, doesn’t mean we need these improvements any less now than we did then.”
Hence then, the article about eastern leg of hs2 officially dead as land is sold off was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Eastern leg of HS2 officially dead as land is sold off )
Also on site :