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| High-speed rail faces dither and delay, warns Adonis | High-speed rail faces dither and delay, warns Adonis |
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| High-speed rail services between London and Birmingham might not be achieved on time because of "dither and delay" by the government, the former transport secretary Lord Adonis has warned. | High-speed rail services between London and Birmingham might not be achieved on time because of "dither and delay" by the government, the former transport secretary Lord Adonis has warned. |
| The Labour peer said plans to get HS2 on to the statute book by the end of this parliament could fall victim to wrangling within the coalition before the next general election, scheduled for 2015. | The Labour peer said plans to get HS2 on to the statute book by the end of this parliament could fall victim to wrangling within the coalition before the next general election, scheduled for 2015. |
| The £33bn network was given the go-ahead in January, with a line between London and Birmingham expected to open by 2026. The plans have been backed by David Cameron and most Liberal Democrat coalition partners, who see the link as crucial to meeting long-term climate change targets. But many Conservative MPs and activists are said to be against the link, which they say would devastate the beauty of the countryside. | The £33bn network was given the go-ahead in January, with a line between London and Birmingham expected to open by 2026. The plans have been backed by David Cameron and most Liberal Democrat coalition partners, who see the link as crucial to meeting long-term climate change targets. But many Conservative MPs and activists are said to be against the link, which they say would devastate the beauty of the countryside. |
| Adonis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If infrastructure projects are going to happen, they need someone who is going to drive them forward, and that simply isn't present. We are already on the second transport secretary since the election, the transport department has had three permanent secretaries in the last two years. There has been endless dither and delay. | Adonis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If infrastructure projects are going to happen, they need someone who is going to drive them forward, and that simply isn't present. We are already on the second transport secretary since the election, the transport department has had three permanent secretaries in the last two years. There has been endless dither and delay. |
| "No one is gripping this, no one is driving this forward. There should have been a bill for HS2 in the Queen's speech when apparently we are instead going to be spending month after month debating House of Lords reform," he said. | "No one is gripping this, no one is driving this forward. There should have been a bill for HS2 in the Queen's speech when apparently we are instead going to be spending month after month debating House of Lords reform," he said. |
| He said there were delays to the consultation on compensation for householders affected by the project and in publishing the route north of Birmingham. "I think there is now a very good chance that the legislation won't pass in this parliament. It could well get caught up in all the politics leading up to the next election, which I think given the state of the coalition could lead to a very significant further delay and it means that we may not see HS2 now in the 2020s," he said. | He said there were delays to the consultation on compensation for householders affected by the project and in publishing the route north of Birmingham. "I think there is now a very good chance that the legislation won't pass in this parliament. It could well get caught up in all the politics leading up to the next election, which I think given the state of the coalition could lead to a very significant further delay and it means that we may not see HS2 now in the 2020s," he said. |
| Transport minister Theresa Villiers insisted the project would be delivered "as swiftly as possible" but said the government would "not be rushed". | Transport minister Theresa Villiers insisted the project would be delivered "as swiftly as possible" but said the government would "not be rushed". |
| "The suggestion that we are dragging our heels on HS2 is just not true. We are keeping to our published timetable of completing the necessary legislation for phase 1 by the end of this parliament," she said. | "The suggestion that we are dragging our heels on HS2 is just not true. We are keeping to our published timetable of completing the necessary legislation for phase 1 by the end of this parliament," she said. |
| "This is a major project, which will have a significant impact on the future of the country and it is imperative that we get it right. | "This is a major project, which will have a significant impact on the future of the country and it is imperative that we get it right. |
| "We will ensure it is delivered as swiftly as possible but we will not be rushed – all relevant evidence needs to be properly considered, including the views of communities potentially affected by the line, and we will be doing this within the timeframe we set out soon after the coalition entered government." | "We will ensure it is delivered as swiftly as possible but we will not be rushed – all relevant evidence needs to be properly considered, including the views of communities potentially affected by the line, and we will be doing this within the timeframe we set out soon after the coalition entered government." |
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