Shapps plays down claims of a Chinese HS2

State ‘could build railway in five years’

TRANSPORT SECRETARY Grant Shapps has played down suggestions that the Chinese state railway builder could be brought in to rescue the troubled HS2 high speed rail project.

The China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) wrote to HS2 Ltd last month offering to complete the project in just five years at a significantly reduced cost.

However, Mr Shapps said yesterday that there had been no contact between CRCC and the Department for Transport (DfT), despite the Government’s officials confirming there had been preliminary discussions but no concrete commitments.

He dismissed the idea that the project – which is not due to be completed until 2040 – could be built in such a short space of time.

“They don’t have our planning system, they don’t have our legal system, they don’t have to respect people’s property rights in the

same way,” he told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show.

“I really want to get this thing built faster if it is possible. But when you look at what is required, the contracts that need to be laid and so on and so forth – it is an enormous project. You are not going to build it in five years.”

The Government last week gave the go-ahead for HS2 – which will link up London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds – to go ahead.

Mr Shapps also played down Boris Johnson’s controversial aide Dominic Cummings’ influence, giving the HS2 decision as an example, as the Downing Street advisor was known to oppose the scheme.

“It is not the case that things necessarily go Dominic Cummings’ way or anyone else’s,” Mr Shapps said. “Take HS2, a big decision that Dominic had views about, I had views about.

“We discussed it, we discussed our various views, and we came to a conclusion. The idea that just because Dominic thinks something, that’s what happens, is clearly not the case.”

Mr Shapps said that he was also anxious to use the HS2 programme to develop British construction skills and capabilities.

“I want to train up an entire new generation of youngsters with the skills that are required. We want some of that homegrown,” he said.