Tory Mayor: Scrapping HS2 will set the West Midlands back by decades
Boris Johnson has been told that scrapping HS2 would set back the revival of the West Midlands by "decades" as he was urged to give the line the go ahead.
The warning comes from West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who described the controversial line as a "once in a generation game-changing investment" for the region.
Mr Street, a key supporter of HS2, also insisted its economic benefits meant it would represent value for money for taxpayers, despite being billions of pounds over budget.
The Conservative Mayor served as a member of the panel on the Oakervee review into the project, which has now been submitted to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
It comes after the review's deputy chair, Lord Berkeley, published a withering assessment of the line, claiming costs had risen to £108bn – well over double the original estimated amount.
But Mr Street has hit back, insisting the route linking London with the north was vital for the success of the West Midlands economy.
He said: "The Prime Minister and the Government talk about levelling, getting the Midlands, and indeed the north, to the sort of standards of wealth enjoyed in London.
"I see this [HS2] as an absolutely critical way of achieving that.
"And if it didn't go ahead, obviously it would set back our revival by decades really. You've seen over the last decade, since we knew that HS2 was coming to Birmingham, that already our economy has powered forward with jobs created, and indeed commercial developments just poised, ready.
"So it is important the Government gives the go ahead."
The Mayor also rubbished claims by Lord Berkeley that HS2 was "completely out of control financially", saying the line was now expected to cost £85bn.
"We have to be confident that HS2 Ltd can deliver it for the said sum, but critically we need a clean, crisp decision from Government," he added. "Delay will actually just add to this bill."
Mr Street also warned Mr Johnson that new Conservative voters in the region were "looking to see if this Conservative government can deliver for them".
At a Cabinet meeting this week, the PM told his ministers that they should not be afraid to "slaughter sacred cows" in order to free up extra cash.
But Mr Street insisted that HS2 was "not in that category".
"This is literally a once in a generation game-changing investment, and I am actually very confident that when the Government look in detail at the business case, they will see that there is a good repayment on the taxpayers' investment."
A number of Tory MPs in the West Midlands want HS2 to be scrapped in its current format, including Michael Fabricant.
The Lichfield MP said he hoped the line was one of the projects that Mr Johnson was prepared to cut, arguing that its costs were "out of control" and that its route "doesn’t link directly with the continent or even Heathrow".
The first phase of HS2 runs from London to the West Midlands and is due to open in 2026. Phase 2a is set to carve through 45 miles of Staffordshire countryside on its way to the north west.
