Public Accounts Committee Mauls HS2

There are various news reports in the media today, reporting a House of Commons Public Accounts Committee review of HS2. The headline 'Public Accounts Committee Mauls HS2' comes from a trade publication (here).

The report from the BBC is here...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30838386

The BBC report has more than 400 comments, which have been added within a few hours, the large majority highly critical of the scheme.

Highlights...

• HS2 is unlikely to provide value for money. 
• An economic case not not been proven.
• The Channel tunnel high-speed rail link, HS1, failed to deliver anticipated regeneration benefits in Kent. 
• HS2 believes that HS2 and HS3 could be built simultaneously but it seems unlikely that industry has the skills to do this. 
• The DfT had not provided a clear explanation for why an assessment of a high speed rail line between cities in the north of England was not carried out before HS2 to test whether improving connectivity in the north was a greater priority.

The full report is here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmpubacc/709/70902.htm