Business News Business News Latest news from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce


On track: Douglas Oakervee (fifth from left) meets with Midlands stakeholders – including the GBCC’s Raj Kandola (far left) and Paul Faulkner (second from right) – in August


Positive review expected for HS2 By Dan Harrison


an independent review will back the project in its entirety. According to a report in the Times, the review


B


led by former HS2 chair Douglas Oakervee has recommended the Government commits to the high-speed network in full. The leaked document says that while the cost


of the project will exceed the £56bn budget set in 2015, there are no ‘shovel ready’ alternative investments that could be made in the existing rail network to provide much-needed additional capacity. The review also found that HS2 could benefit cities in the Midlands and the north more than London because of improved connections


usiness leaders in Greater Birmingham are hopeful the benefits of HS2 can finally be realised following reports that


‘It is encouraging to read reports that the review has backed the project in its entirety’


on innercity lines. The Government commissioned the independent review into HS2 back in August. Mr Oakervee’s first visit as part of the review


was to Birmingham where he met key stakeholders – including Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce – at Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building, a stone’s throw from the site of the Curzon Street station development. The review’s panel included West Midlands


mayor Andy Street. Paul Faulkner, chief executive of the GBCC,


said: “We said that the Oakervee Review provided an opportunity to restate the benefits of HS2 in full and make a better case than ever before. “Within 24 hours of the review being announced, we welcomed Douglas Oakervee to Birmingham and he saw a collective determination from key stakeholders in the East and West Midlands to speak as one voice about the importance of the whole HS2 network. “HS2 also has the full support of the British Chambers of Commerce network. So it is encouraging to read reports that the review has backed the project in its entirety. “We now urge the Government – whoever it


may be after next month’s General Election – to commit to the whole HS2 project so that the full economic benefits can be realised not only in the Midlands but across the whole country.”


December 2019/January 2020 CHAMBERLINK5


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