Press Release from Dame Cheryl Gillan
Conservative Candidate for Chesham and Amersham
Date: Wednesday 13 November 2019
DAME CHERYL GILLAN suggests the leaked draft report on HS2 is a desperate attempt from pro-HS2 supporters to make election headlines, despite HS2’s rising cost and failing business case.
Dame Cheryl, an ardent anti-HS2 parliamentary campaigner has suggested the reports on the leaked HS2 Review document is being used to pressure the Prime Minister and the Government to make a decision on the future of HS2 ahead of the General Election. “It shows you how desperate HS2 is overcome the dreadful reputation that HS2 now has after poor governance, profligate spending and now forecasts that indicate it will be years late and billions over budget”.
So far, the National Audit Office have published three reports on HS2 Ltd, and their investigations have found that the cost and benefit analysis underpinning the business case of HS2 were uncertain. They have advised that there are weaknesses in the business case and their own land and property estimates.
Ahead of the dissolution of Parliament, Dame Cheryl wrote to Douglas Oakervee, Chair of the HS2 Review, requesting that his review take into consideration the NAO’s upcoming fourth report ‘High Speed Two: progress review’ before the official publication of the HS2 Review.
Dame Cheryl said ‘I have spoken with the Government adviser on transport who has confirmed neither “No 10” nor the Secretary of State for Transport have seen or reviewed the so called leaked, draft HS2 report. The reporting in the papers yesterday does not reflect a decision by the Government, and I have argued that they should not be hasty to make a decision until Ministers can also review the outcome of the impending HS2 progress report from the National Audit Office.’
She added, “HS2 needs cancelling between Birmingham and London and the money should be invested in improving our commuter services locally, Crossrail in the North of England and connecting Birmingham to other Northern Towns and cities. This would help generate the economic success throughout the country rather than overheating the economy of the South East.”