HS2 latest: The delay, the tunnel and the black hole
Interesting developments afoot for the HS2 campaign this week as the final decision about HS2 looms large. The anti-HS2 camp can look on with intrigue and hope as they witness the latest happenings at the Department of Transport.
The Delay
We can welcome the news that Justine Greening has decided to delay the decision on HS2 from the 20th December to until mid-January in order to investigate the possibility of an extra tunnel through the Chilterns and further environmental assessment of the impact of the entire HS2 route.
Justine Greening now seems to be taking stock of the findings of the Transport Select Committee which urged for greater consideration of environmental impact. It is encouraging that the new Transport Secretary is listening and approaching the decision with appropriate caution (a marked contrast from her predecessor Mr Philip Hammond). With plans to further investigate the environmental impact of the HS2 route ahead of the final decision, this can only be applauded.
The Tunnel
The proposal of an extended tunnel past Amersham has been met with mixed reaction. The BBC are reporting this as a political move to appease Tory MPs along the route and prevent rebellion. CPRE are happy to see the chilterns AONB being better protected. Martin Tett, Leader of Bucks County Council and head of the 51 M group, has recieved the news cautiously, questioning where the extra £500 million has been sourced from and how other parts of the line may suffer from reduced mitigation funding. He stated the tunnel does not alter his position against HS2 which has significant flaws in the business, environmental and economic cases.
Let’s face it, this is only a 1.5 mile tunnel extension on a 100 mile rail line which threatens aquifers, lakes, flood plains, 50+ ancient woodland, important biodiversity sites, a large colony of the rarest bat/mammal in Britain (Bechstein’s bat), and 80% of UK black hairstreak butterflies – and that’s just some of the ones we know of in the absence of a strategic environmental assessment. The new tunnel would not resolve any of these threats and is more about aesthetics rather than the more important functionality of aquifers and woods etc. The new tunnel is really a sticking plaster for a mass infrastructure project that is holisitically flawed.
The Black Hole
The Telegraph reported today that a report commissioned by 51 M and produced by 2 transport economists has reviewed the economic case and estimated the benefits to the tax payer could be only half the £34 billion expenditure, leaving an £8.5 billion gap in finances or black hole which would need to be filled through raising tax or spending cuts. This report further reinforces the weakness of the economic case at a time of such austerity.
Let’s also recall that the cost of environmental mitigation has not been factored into the total cost. Bat bridges can cost £500,000 each and we know that in one complex of woodland on the route there is a significant Bechstein’s bat colony which was not picked up before the route was selected owing to reliance on desk based research using data that was not current. It is anticipated this is not a one-off occurence so there is no way to estimate total cost of environmental mitigation until the true picture of what needs to be protected emerges.
The delayed decision and the extra tunnel appear to be a proactive response to HS2′s well documented problems, but only time will tell if this extended decision-making period will yield the right the results.
