A damning report by the House of Lords has been released, saying the government has not made a convincing case for HS2.

The House of Lords' Economic Affairs Select Committee stated categorically that government had not made a convincing case for the project and called for a complete review of the scheme.

The controversial high speed rail project linking London and Birmingham - the proposed route of which passes through Hillingdon, Hounslow and Ealing - has been criticised in the report.

It said: "There is no convincing evidence to warrant the claim that HS2 is needed to provide more capacity" and also

The report, released on Wednesday (March 25), also said a review should be undertaken by any incoming government at the earliest opportunity and legislation allowing the first phase of the scheme to start should not be given until important questions raised in the report are answered.

The main issued raised in the Lords' report are:

  • There is no convincing case for HS2.
  • The cost-benefit analysis for HS2 relies on out-of-date evidence, some dating back to 1994.
  • At an estimated cost of £50bn (at 2011 prices), with the taxpayer expected to bear £31.5bn of the net cost, the government should consider the fairness of burdening taxpayers at a time of financial restraint, most of whom will not benefit in any way from the line.
  • The cost per mile of HS2 is up to nine-times higher than the cost of constructing similar lines in other countries, such as France.
  • HS2 has not made public relevant information on how busy train services are, and no price has been placed on the possible disruption that alternative, incremental improvements may create, therefore there is no convincing evidence to warrant the claim that HS2 is needed to provide more capacity.
  • Investment in improving rail links in the north of England might deliver much greater economic benefits at a fraction of the cost of HS2.
  • The report expresses concern that the UK construction industry does not have the capability of delivering a project of the scale of HS2.
  • The government has not shown that HS2 is the best way to stimulate growth in the country; evidence from other countries suggests London would be the biggest beneficiary.

Bruce Weston, of the HS2 Action Alliance, who gave evidence to the committee, said: “We welcome the report from such a credible and influential committee, and hope that the government will take it to heart.

“Independent, intelligent, and highly-informed opinion, like that of the Lords' Economic Affairs Committee, confirms what the majority of the public think, that there is no case for HS2.”