Delivery of HS2 given ‘red’ warning rating

THE delivery of HS2 has been given the highest risk warning by Government experts on major projects.

It is the first time the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has assigned the high-speed railway with a red rating since its annual reports began in 2013.

The IPA assesses the likelihood of large schemes fulfilling their objects on time and in budget.

Red ratings are given to schemes for which “successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable”.

Classifications in the latest annual report were based on a snapshot taken in September 2019 and do not take into account the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Government-commissioned Oakervee Review warned last year that the final bill for HS2 could reach £106bn at 2019 prices.

Despite it running tens of billions of pounds over budget and several years behind schedule, Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the green light for the railway in February 2020.

The project was given a revised budget and schedule as part of his decision.

Two months’ later, ministers gave the go-ahead for it to enter the construction phase.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “This report refers to the status of the HS2 project in September 2019, before it was comprehensively reset in February 2020, so does not take into account the intervening period up to the present.

“We now have stricter controls over the project including a dedicated HS2 minister, and are confident HS2 is being delivered with the strict oversight, accountability and transparency needed.”