Transport
secretary
Mark
Harper


has
revealed
that
discussions
have
started
on
raising
private
investment
to
fund
the
construction
of
the
central
London
station
for
HS2
at
Euston.

Mr
Harper
made
a
statement
to
the
House
of
Commons
yesterday
on
the
first
day
that
it
had
reassembled
after
the
conference
recess.

The
Prime
Minister
had
told
the
Conservative
Party
conference
on
4
October
that
the
section
of
HS2
between
Old
Oak
Common
and
Euston
is
still
in
the
plans,
although
the
project
has
been
put
on
hold
in
response
to
sharply
rising
costs.

Mr
Harper
said
talks
took
place
with
the
Euston
Partnership
Board
last
week.
The
Board
is
a
group
of
stakeholders
which
was
set
up
in
2020,
and
is
chaired
by
Lord
Hendy.
It
involves
representatives
of
the
Department
for
Transport,
HS2
Ltd,
Network
Rail,
development
partner
Lendlease,
Transport
for
London,
the
Greater
London
Authority,
the
London
Borough
of
Camden
and
the
West
Coast
Partnership.

He
explained:
‘The
facts
have
changed,
so
we
are
changing
our
approach.
With
work
well
under
way,
we
will
finish
HS2
between
London
Euston
and
the
west
midlands.
Just
last
week,
I
spoke
to
the
Euston
Partnership
Board
on
the
huge
regeneration
opportunity
that
can
be
unlocked
with
private
investment.’

Labour’s
shadow
transport
secretary
Louise
Haigh
responded:
‘The
consequences
of
this
shambles
are
no
joke;
they
are
profound.
There
will
be
owners
of
small
and
medium-sized
enterprises
that
have
bet
the
house
on
HS2.
People
will
lose
their
jobs
this
side
of
the
general
election
as
a
result
of
this
decision—homes,
farms
and
businesses
all
sold,
the
countryside
carved
up,
and
Euston
a
hole
in
the
ground,
and
for
what?
He
has
wasted
£45
billion
on
a
line
between
Old
Oak
Common
and
Birmingham
that
no
one
asked
for
and
that
has
no
business
case.
Only
in
Conservative-run
Britain
could
a
high-speed
train
hit
the
slow-coach
lane
the
second
it
hits
the
north
of
England.’