Ministers are to take a direct role in overseeing the construction of the HS2 rail line to try to “contain” the rising costs of the high-speed line between London and Birmingham.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said it had long been clear that the cost of HS2, which could reach £65 billion, had been allowed to “spin out of control”.
She said she had now seen “up close” “the scale of the failure”, which she described as “disastrous”.
“I promised to work quickly and make things right and that’s exactly why I announced urgent measures to bring HS2 costs under control and ensure taxpayers’ money is put to good use,” he said. Haigh.
The government also confirmed it would not reinstate previous plans to operate the high-speed line to Crewe and Manchester, which were abandoned under the previous Conservative government.
A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: “We welcome the Secretary of State’s priorities for HS2 Ltd and are committed to working with the new government to improve delivery. »
Adding: “HS2 Ltd recognizes that there are many lessons to be learned from deliveries to date and, under new management, is actively implementing changes within our control to stabilize costs.”
A new independent review of the project has also been commissioned.
The government has confirmed it has commissioned the review which will be led by a former Crossrail chief executive, James Stewart.
HS2 Ltd said it looked forward to Mr Stewart's “recommendations”.
In January, the boss of HS2 Ltd estimated that the total cost of HS2 could rise, saying the rising cost of materials such as concrete and steel had added £8 billion to £10 billion to the project budget.
