Another shambles for high-speed rail
High-speed rail plans suffered a setback after a High Court judge today ruled a consultation on the project was “unlawful”.
The £32.7 billion scheme is meant to have 225mph trains running between London and Birmingham by 2026, with more to Manchester and Leeds by 2033.
The judge’s decision means that the 2011 consultation into compensation for affected properties must be re-run in a process likely to take several months.
However, the judge threw out nine out of 10 objections to the overall HS2 project, meaning it can go ahead.
The fact the consultation was unlawful is another blow for the Department for Transport, which was forced to tear up a franchise deal to run trains on the West Coast Main Line after mistakes in calculations were made by civil servants.
It cost the taxpayer £50 million to refund the bids for the line by potential operators such as Virgin Trains and First Group and to pay staff, advisers and lawyers.
Today’s ruling means that the consultation for people whose homes are blighted by HS2 has to take place all over again.
But rail minister Simon Burns said: “This is a major landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain. The judge has categorically given the green light for the Government to press ahead without delay in building a high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
“We will look at compensation closely. We will not appeal it. We will re-run the compensation consultations. It is creating a longer period of uncertainty for those people who may be eligible for compensation.
“This will delay things further but will not hold us up from going ahead with a project that is in the national interest.”
Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting at London’s High Court, is now hearing submissions from lawyers on the appropriate remedy for HS2. The decision was a victory for the High Speed 2 Action Alliance (HS2AA), consisting of more than 70 affiliated action groups and residents’ associations.
The project is designed to cut journey times, ease overcrowding and boost regional business. But the scheme has been mired in controversy for years because it will result in swathes of countryside, including parts of Staffordshire, being torn up to make way for new tracks.
Some 172,000 properties within 0.6 miles of the first phase are alleged to be affected by “HS2 blight”.
David Wolfe QC, appearing for HS2AA, said tens of thousands of people who “just happen to live and own properties” along the high-speed route faced loss of value on their homes and being unable to move or remortgage for 15 years or more.
Comments for: "Another shambles for high-speed rail"
Andy
You mean another shambolic piece of reporting? Only the compensation consultation was ruled unlawful. All of the Stop HS2 NIMBYs' other points were thrown out.
Go-HS2
Puzzled as to why the headline reads 'another shambles' ?!
The truth is the scheme goes ahead. As stated in para 3, the 'the judge threw out nine out of 10 objections to the overall HS2 project, meaning it can go ahead.'
The Government will consult again on compensation options, but this will not cause delays. It's also important to remember this refers to phase one (London-Birmingham) and not Staffordshire (phase two).
Kenilworth wolf
It's a white elephant, but a fast white elephant.
I hope everyone realises that the only people it benefits will be rich business men because the ordinary man will be priced out of a ticket.
WASTE OF MONEY - DESTRUCTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT - ELITIST
Ben Jephcott
It will not be any different to high speed trains in Germany, France or anywhere else, it will cost a bit more than semi-fast trains on existing west coast line (which will still be there) but not much. The whole project is designed for mass transit, not occasional services just for a few. If it doesn't happen we will end up with another M1 and M6 and more airports, I know which I prefer.
Kenilworth wolf
You should get a fag packet and right down on the back of it what you know and understand about HS2.
It won't benefit Wolverhampton in the slightest. Travel from Birmingham will be quicker but not from new street station as a new station (close to Birmingham Airport ) is being built so Wolverhampton to London will take you approximately the same time after you've caught the bus/taxi to the new station from new street.
Also there will be few stops on the journey hence the emphasis on SPEED. Good deal for London bad deal for the rest of the country and environment. Anyone who can't see that is an idiot, but don't take my word for it research the Internet for the truth !
Ben Jephcott
Very surprised at the headline and the stance as Wolverhampton and the Black Country desperately need this link to go ahead and all the objections bar one were thrown out. Compensation should be generous and they need to get on with it but the ruling generally looks like a victory for the HS2 scheme and good news for the Black Country.
bobwolf101
It isn't coming anywhere near Wolverhampton or the Black Country so will make no difference to this area and therefore is not good news.
Dan
Yes it is. By taking away traffic from the Birmingham lines Wolverhampton will benefit immensely. The potential for commuter stations along the stour valley line, maybe even stations at Oxley or Pendeford, the reduced traffic on other lines, means huge capacity benefits, new station possibilities, etc.
Huge benefits to Wolverhampton, you just have to look beyond the main headline.
Andy
In order to travel from Wolverhampton to London you must travel through or stop at Birmingham. The two minute walk around the corner to the proposed new station plus the journey from Wolverhampton to Birmingham still represents a time saving and therefore a benefit for the people of Wolverhampton.
soggy_wolf
I'd rather stay on the train, not make that two minute walk and get to London half an hour later than pick up the £32bn+ bill for the rest of my life as a UK taxpayer thanks very much.
If you've been to any NHS hospital recently and seen the state of most of the departments then you would see that this government has got it's spending priorities wrong and fools like you are giving them a mandate to piddle more of our hard-earned money up the wall on idiotic flagship projects that don't achieve anything (like the M6 Toll and Channel Tunnel) for the majority of people.
No-HS2
I'd like to know who all these people are who want to get to and from London a whole half hour quicker than is possible now, 23 mins if you look at the fastest at the moment. There must be millions of them to justify the cost for this White Elephant.... It'll price ordinary folk out of a ticket, and fast speed = no stops so you'll have no business from the majority of people who use trains for shorter hops than Birmingham to London
JimBob
Yes to High Speed Rail!
The point made by No-HS2 is incorrect.
The vast majority of higher speed west coast services and customers will migrate to HS2, why spend 90 mins on the west coast when 40 will do from Bham to Euston for a similar cost per mile. The released traffic slots on the West Coast would then provide a better regional service and more freight slots.
Nimbyism wont work this time, the rules have changed for the better. We need investment, jobs, growth and financial stability. Nimbyism dosen't give any of these positive factors, only the selfish satifaction you have ruined any plans for the future which affect your view out of your own window. A view you dont own!
LewSmoralz
We heard exactly the same about the M6 Toll, and that is barely paying its way. Ordinary people have to go for the low-cost option, and use the cheapest route unless time is a matter of life and death.
The "rich boys", like this LibCon party, can afford to pay but are so out of touch that they think it's the same for the majority as well. SIMPLES
No-HS2
Convenient use of rounding there. It'll be 49 mins not 40, and its currently 84 mins at its slowest not 90mins. Does the 15 mins difference matter? Well when we're told the reason for the line is for faster service then yes. I'm all for the construction of new train services and the benefits that provides in jobs, growth and less strain on the existing service, what i dont agree with is the disruption and route for it to become High Speed for what is very little benefit in time.
No-HS2
Oh and i almost forgot, cost. Construction in Schools, Further Education, Hospitals, Affordable Housing and Existing Transport Improvements is whats needed as a priority over a new service its considered we might need once its built.
Dan
Good thing pretty much all Wolverhampton schools are currently being rebuilt. It's an AND not an OR.
Ben Jephcott
The trains won't all just stop in Birmingham, some will use the existing line and go beyond it.
Agree the M6 toll is useless - it opened in 2004 seven years into a Labour government who were happy to see it go ahead - but that was never a good idea, it is run for profit not public service, hence it is very expensive.
HS2 trains will be run just like others as a franchise. The route is not ideal, they should tunnel under Burton Green for instance and be better connected in Birmingham, but overall it is a good thing and we need it built quickly.
PJW Holland
...some will use the existing line and go beyond it.....
That would be physically impossible. The station in Brum is a terminus... ie. a DEAD END. (apt really). With the introduction of HS2 passengers on the WCML are going to find their journey times increase substantially. The Secretary of State for Transport (not the current one) told me personally there is a plan to increase journey time by around 20%. Wolverhampton will no longer be treated as an intercity destination. It will become simply a pseudo-suburban halt.
HS2 will be quite useless. It does not connect with local services. It too would increase journey time for those travelling beyond Brum.
I shall continue to use WCML. I have no intention of trecking a mile across derelect areas of Brum to connect.
Andy
A mile? It's a 5 minute walk at a brisk pace to the proposed entrance. Including this short walk at whatever pace you decide to take it in, you've still saved time on the original journey between, for instance, WVH and EUS.
Go-HS2
Correct. Stafford will have high speed services calling and using existing and then high speed lines from Lichfield. Also, Moor St HS2 in Birmingham city centre will be designed to allow for swift transfer of passengers from the Black Country/Birmingham to high speed rail.
HS2 serves eight of the ten largest cities and connects us with Europe.
pip
White Elephant.
Will cost a fortune to build, but the fortune will be twice what is predicted.
IIt will leave some stations and areas like ghost towns.
Jim
Oh the irony, Isambard Kingdom Brunel faced the same short-sighted resistance from Landowners affected by his Great Western Railway. This and other railways were a massive contribution to the ensuing economic development. Nimbys, it seems aren't new. What is new is how they now disguise their true self-centred motives by claiming environmental or economic damage
nigel
I think the Anti Hs2 are over playing the level of blight hs2 will cause, even on the property values. There are people living within 500m from proposed line claiming that their lives will be blighted and demanding compensation, even though they have no idea in what way their lives will be “blighted” There are thousands of people living much closer to railway lines currently who get on just fine, their lives are not blighted