Cheryl Gillan has called for HS2 to be re-examined

Oct 16 2012 by Laura Mowat, Buckinghamshire Examiner

Cheryl Gillan Image 1

CHERYL Gillan has put more pressure on the government to re-examine the HS2 project after the West Coast Main Line contract was readvertised last week.

On the day the First Group contract was cancelled, the MP for Chesham and Amersham wrote to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, asking him to re-examine HS2. She asked him to look at the business case and to check the basis on which all decisions have been made by the Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd.

In her conservativehome blog, she wrote: “To scrap the West Coast Main Line contract has brought into question the overall integrity of the Department for Transport’s decision-making progress.”

One of the reasons why there were issues with the West Coast Main Line contract was because of errors in the inflation and passenger numbers figures. The MP has also highlighted that the business case and passenger forecasts for HS2 are based on similar assumptions.

She added: “I want to ensure that the government does not make one of the biggest mistakes in history by spending money on the largest infrastructure project in peacetime based on dodgy calculations and incorrect information.”

Former Amersham mayor Martin King said: “I think Cheryl is spot on and moving in the right direction. I have lost faith in David Cameron not telling the truth about these issues.”

Mrs Gillan, stressing the project has had a devastating effect, said: “Clarity is the minimum my constituents deserve.”