A group of MPs have failed to stop HS2 going ahead – after their attempt to block the rail project was crushed in the House of Commons.
Only 37 MPs voted against the High Speed Rail bill in Parliament yesterday (June 26), compared to 325 MPs who backed the project.
HS2 includes a new track from London to Birmingham, which is set to be completed by 2026, followed by further lines to Manchester and Leeds scheduled to open by 2032.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin also revealed that the cost of the project has risen from £33 billion to £42.6 billion.
McLoughlin said: “HS2 provides a once in a generation opportunity to drive growth, generate jobs, and secure our country’s future prosperity.”
The government has also today (June 27) appointed former LOCOG boss Lord Deighton to head a taskforce into making sure the economic benefits of HS2 are maximised.
“We need to squeeze every possible benefit from this vital project, leaving no stone unturned,” added McLoughlin.
“That is why we are setting up a Growth Taskforce and that is why I have asked Lord Deighton, the man who delivered the Olympics, to lead it.
“I recognise HS2 is a huge project and I am determined to get maximum payback from the investment. This is about far more than just a new railway and, through the work of the taskforce, we will be able to identify many of the wider economic benefits it can deliver.”