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Log in using your social network account OR Log in directly with The Independent {{message}} ____________________ Please enter an email address Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address ____________________ Please enter a valid password [ ] Keep me logged in (BUTTON) Submit Forgotten your password? Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to Independent Premium. View offers Hi {{fullName}} * My Independent Premium * Account details * Help centre * Logout (BUTTON) News > UK > Home News HS2 in danger of coming off the rails as problems multiply Exclusive: National Audit Office probe and Cabinet Office review add to uncertainty over the project * Mark Leftly Deputy Political Editor @MLeftly * Saturday 5 March 2016 22:53 {{^moreThanTen}} * {{total}} comments {{/moreThanTen}} * Chancellor George Osborne takes part in a tour of the train wheel manufacturers Lucchini UK, in Manchester, in 2013. The first phase of HS2 opens in 2026 ( Getty ) The £50bn High Speed Two railway is being battered by an “emerging storm” of problems, damaging Chancellor George Osborne’s plans to wean Britain’s economy from its dependence on London. The Independent on Sunday can reveal that HS2, which will take commuters from London to Birmingham in 49 minutes when the first phase opens in 2026, before heading north to Leeds and Manchester, is suffering because: • HS2 executives have been “spooked” by an unexpectedly early National Audit Office (NAO) probe. Download the new Indpendent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines (BUTTON) Download now • There are fears the 1,300-person project team, HS2 Ltd, isn’t ready to oversee such a massive project, as a long delayed Cabinet Office review begins. • Many senior staff have refused to relocate from London as the project shifts headquarters to Birmingham – and many staying put will commute on the very line HS2 is supposed to relieve of congestion. The debate over HS2 highlights the tension between local communities and national interest over big infrastructure projects (EPA) • Ministers believe the project will become bogged down in the House of Lords when the HS2 bill reaches the upper house. • The appointment of the private sector partner to run the project has been delayed twice in the past few weeks. The NAO is looking at the “latest position on costs, schedule and programme scope”, but HS2 executives had not expected this scrutiny until later this year. The project’s business case was already criticised by the NAO in 2013, and a year later the public spending watchdog questioned HS2’s economic rationale. Mr Osborne believes HS2 will help northern and Midlands’ businesses grow to compete with those in the affluent south-east. The latest NAO probe comes after tens of millions was added to the price, because of changes such as a longer tunnel in the Chilterns agreed by a committee of MPs last month. An industry source said executives were “spooked” by the NAO inquiry coming “so soon”. “It’s an emerging storm,” said the source. “They’re concerned the NAO report is coming at the same time as the Cabinet Office review.” Independent news email Only the best news in your inbox ____________________ Enter your email address (BUTTON) Continue (BUTTON) Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email already exists. Log in to update your newsletter preferences Register with your social account or click here to log in receiveIndyHeadlines [ ] I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email Update newsletter preferences The HSUK proposal The Cabinet Office’s Review Point One should have started last autumn, but was delayed because of fears HS2 Ltd could fail crucial tests. The four-person review will begin later this month. A source close to HS2 said the organisation, led by chairman Sir David Higgins and chief executive Simon Kirby, might not be “fully mature” enough to pass. “Every day of delay adds to the risk of the project,” said another source. There are concerns HS2 Ltd has grown too big. A source said its size is “out of control” at 1,300 staff; officials are worried it is “far bigger in terms of numbers than the team that built the London 2012 Olympics”. The HS2 Bill is undergoing line-by-line scrutiny in the House of Commons and will move to the Lords later this year. A Government source said getting royal assent by the end of 2016, as planned, was unlikely because it was “up in the air” how long rebellious Conservative peers will try to bog down the Bill. HS2 Ltd was due to select its engineering delivery partner, the private sector consortium that will help manage the project, last month. Three consortiums led by US firms (Bechtel, CH2M Hill, and Parsons Brinckerhoff) are shortlisted for the £350m job. This had been delayed until tomorrow; now it is understood to have been moved to later this week, following an intervention from No 10 for media management reasons. Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures Show all 50 Created with Sketch. Created with Sketch. (BUTTON) Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures 1/50 6 January 2020 Protesters in London take part in a demonstration in support of a British woman found guilty of lying about being gang raped in Cyprus AP 2/50 5 January 2020 Protesters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in London, after America killed Iran's general Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport PA 3/50 4 January 2020 Metropolitan police cordon off Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park in north London, after a man was stabbed to death on Friday evening, the first murder in London in 2020 PA 4/50 3 January 2020 Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London after the US killed General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport. Soleimani was head of Tehran's elite Quds Force and Iran's top general PA 5/50 2 January 2020 A keeper counts squirrel-monkeys at London Zoo during the annual stocktake. Caring for more than 500 different species, ZSL London Zoo's keepers face the challenging task of tallying up every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate at the Zoo AP 6/50 1 January 2020 Peter Wright celebrates winning with the Sid Waddell trophy at the Darts World Championships in London. He stunned Michael van Gerwen to clinch his first title 7-3 PA 7/50 31 December 2019 Surfers at Tynemouth on the north east coast PA 8/50 30 December 2019 Deer graze in the morning mist as cyclists ride by in Richmond Park, London Reuters 9/50 29 December 2019 Night sky after the sunset at Whitley Bay in Northumberland PA 10/50 28 December 2019 The Harlequins players arrive at the stadium prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Big Game 12 match between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at Twickenahm Stadium Getty Images for Harlequins 11/50 27 December 2019 A car drives through floodwater near Harbridge, north of Ringwood in Hampshire, after the river Avon burst its banks PA 12/50 26 December 2019 Participants in the Old Surrey and West Kent Boxing Day Hunt in Chiddingstone. Hunting with horses and hounds is a Boxing Day tradition. Since the fox hunting ban in 2004, modified hunts take place using scented trails for the animals to follow EPA 13/50 25 December 2019 Swimmers of the Serpentine Swimming Club take part in the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day at the Serpentine, in central London PA 14/50 24 December 2019 Shoppers bid for cuts of meat during a Christmas Eve auction in Smithfield market in London EPA 15/50 23 December 2019 Reggie the dog is rescued with a boat from flooding at the Little Venice Country Park and Marina in Maidstone AFP via Getty 16/50 22 December 2019 People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to mark the winter solstice, and to witness the sunrise after the longest night of the year PA 17/50 21 December 2019 Southampton's Jack Stephens scores their second goal against Aston Villa Reuters 18/50 20 December 2019 The coffin arrives for the funeral of London Bridge terror attack victim Jack Merritt at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge PA 19/50 19 December 2019 Queen Elizabeth II and her son Prince Charles walk behind the Imperial State Crown as they proccess through the Royal Gallery, before the Queen's Speech, during the State Opening of Parliament AFP via Getty 20/50 18 December 2019 Luke Jerram's art installation 'Gaia', a replica of planet earth created using detailed Nasa imagery of the Earth's surface, hangs on display at the Eden Project in St Austell, Cornwall PA 21/50 17 December 2019 A surfer gets into the festive spirit at the inland surfing lagoon at The Wave, near Bristol PA 22/50 16 December 2019 Snowy conditions near Deepdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park as snow hits parts of the UK PA 23/50 15 December 2019 Oisin Carson, 5, picks a Christmas tree at Wicklow Way Christmas tree farm in Roundwood PA 24/50 14 December 2019 First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie as she joins the SNPs newly elected MPs for a group photo outside the V&A Museum in Dundee, Scotland Getty Images 25/50 13 December 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arrive back at Downing Street after the results for the general election were announced. The Conservative Party won with an overall majority EPA 26/50 12 December 2019 A dog outside a polling station during the general election in Northumberland Reuters 27/50 11 December 2019 Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson stands between a Stop Brexit sign as she attends a general election campaign event at Esher Rugby Club, south west London. Britain will go to the polls tomorrow to vote AFP via Getty 28/50 10 December 2019 A surfer off the North East coast at Tynemouth PA 29/50 9 December 2019 Leah Rossiter (left) and Ceara Carney, dressed as mermaids, join members of the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion Ireland protesting outside Leinster House in Dublin, against overfishing in Irish Waters PA 30/50 8 December 2019 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn poses for selfies with supporters at a general election rally in Colwyn Bay, north Wales AFP via Getty 31/50 7 December 2019 Speedo Mick outside the stadium before the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park Action Images via Reuters 32/50 6 December 2019 A climate activist wearing a mask and holding a placard reading 'Fossil fuel era is over' outside Millbank Studios in London AP 33/50 5 December 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with the SNP campaign bus in front of the Queensferry Crossing, while on the General Election campaign trail in Scotland PA 34/50 4 December 2019 The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which is given every year by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the Second World War PA 35/50 3 December 2019 Protesters against the visit of US President Trump during a demonstration near Buckingham Palace on the first day of the Nato Summit in London EPA 36/50 2 December 2019 England captain Joe Root celebrates reaching his double century during day 4 of the second Test match against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand Getty 37/50 1 December 2019 A hard frost is seen on the first day of the meteorological winter in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters 38/50 30 November 2019 A police officer looks at flowers left at London Bridge in central London, after a terrorist wearing a fake suicide vest who went on a knife rampage killing two people, and was shot dead by police PA 39/50 29 November 2019 School children and students take part in the Youth Strike for Climate in London as part of the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike Angela Christofilou/The Independent 40/50 28 November 2019 Cyclists make their way up a tree lined hill near to Moor Crichel in Dorset. November's dismal weather will finally change, with drier and colder conditions coming for the start of December, forecasters have said PA 41/50 27 November 2019 The moment a swan flew over a flock of 60,000 starlings as dusk fell on Whixall Moss Nature Reserve in Shropshire Andrew Fusek Peters / SWNS 42/50 26 November 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon plays with local children during a visit to the Jelly Tots & Cookies Play Cafe in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire PA 43/50 25 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with sheep as he visits the Royal Welsh Showground, in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, whilst on the General Election campaign trail PA 44/50 24 November 2019 Cush Jumbo attends the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards at London Coliseum Getty Images 45/50 23 November 2019 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets a supporter on a train on his return from a visit to Sheffield PA 46/50 22 November 2019 Gallery assistants adjust 'The Ancient Town of Uglich' by Konstantin Yuon, 1913, estimated at £600,000 to £800,000, during a press preview of the sale of works by some of the most pre-eminent creators of Russian art at Sotheby's in London PA 47/50 21 November 2019 A mother seal appears to hug her pup as grey seals return to Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late autumn and winter to give birth PA 48/50 20 November 2019 After Mauricio Pochettino's sacking the eveninfg before newly appointed Tottenham head coach, Jose Mourinho, takes his first training session in charge Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty 49/50 19 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Jimmy Egan's Boxing Academy at Wythenshawe, while on the campaign trail ahead of the General Election PA 50/50 18 November 2019 Mist over Buttermere lake in the Lake District PA 1/50 6 January 2020 Protesters in London take part in a demonstration in support of a British woman found guilty of lying about being gang raped in Cyprus AP 2/50 5 January 2020 Protesters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in London, after America killed Iran's general Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport PA 3/50 4 January 2020 Metropolitan police cordon off Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park in north London, after a man was stabbed to death on Friday evening, the first murder in London in 2020 PA 4/50 3 January 2020 Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London after the US killed General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport. Soleimani was head of Tehran's elite Quds Force and Iran's top general PA 5/50 2 January 2020 A keeper counts squirrel-monkeys at London Zoo during the annual stocktake. Caring for more than 500 different species, ZSL London Zoo's keepers face the challenging task of tallying up every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate at the Zoo AP 6/50 1 January 2020 Peter Wright celebrates winning with the Sid Waddell trophy at the Darts World Championships in London. He stunned Michael van Gerwen to clinch his first title 7-3 PA 7/50 31 December 2019 Surfers at Tynemouth on the north east coast PA 8/50 30 December 2019 Deer graze in the morning mist as cyclists ride by in Richmond Park, London Reuters 9/50 29 December 2019 Night sky after the sunset at Whitley Bay in Northumberland PA 10/50 28 December 2019 The Harlequins players arrive at the stadium prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Big Game 12 match between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at Twickenahm Stadium Getty Images for Harlequins 11/50 27 December 2019 A car drives through floodwater near Harbridge, north of Ringwood in Hampshire, after the river Avon burst its banks PA 12/50 26 December 2019 Participants in the Old Surrey and West Kent Boxing Day Hunt in Chiddingstone. Hunting with horses and hounds is a Boxing Day tradition. Since the fox hunting ban in 2004, modified hunts take place using scented trails for the animals to follow EPA 13/50 25 December 2019 Swimmers of the Serpentine Swimming Club take part in the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day at the Serpentine, in central London PA 14/50 24 December 2019 Shoppers bid for cuts of meat during a Christmas Eve auction in Smithfield market in London EPA 15/50 23 December 2019 Reggie the dog is rescued with a boat from flooding at the Little Venice Country Park and Marina in Maidstone AFP via Getty 16/50 22 December 2019 People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to mark the winter solstice, and to witness the sunrise after the longest night of the year PA 17/50 21 December 2019 Southampton's Jack Stephens scores their second goal against Aston Villa Reuters 18/50 20 December 2019 The coffin arrives for the funeral of London Bridge terror attack victim Jack Merritt at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge PA 19/50 19 December 2019 Queen Elizabeth II and her son Prince Charles walk behind the Imperial State Crown as they proccess through the Royal Gallery, before the Queen's Speech, during the State Opening of Parliament AFP via Getty 20/50 18 December 2019 Luke Jerram's art installation 'Gaia', a replica of planet earth created using detailed Nasa imagery of the Earth's surface, hangs on display at the Eden Project in St Austell, Cornwall PA 21/50 17 December 2019 A surfer gets into the festive spirit at the inland surfing lagoon at The Wave, near Bristol PA 22/50 16 December 2019 Snowy conditions near Deepdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park as snow hits parts of the UK PA 23/50 15 December 2019 Oisin Carson, 5, picks a Christmas tree at Wicklow Way Christmas tree farm in Roundwood PA 24/50 14 December 2019 First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie as she joins the SNPs newly elected MPs for a group photo outside the V&A Museum in Dundee, Scotland Getty Images 25/50 13 December 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arrive back at Downing Street after the results for the general election were announced. The Conservative Party won with an overall majority EPA 26/50 12 December 2019 A dog outside a polling station during the general election in Northumberland Reuters 27/50 11 December 2019 Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson stands between a Stop Brexit sign as she attends a general election campaign event at Esher Rugby Club, south west London. Britain will go to the polls tomorrow to vote AFP via Getty 28/50 10 December 2019 A surfer off the North East coast at Tynemouth PA 29/50 9 December 2019 Leah Rossiter (left) and Ceara Carney, dressed as mermaids, join members of the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion Ireland protesting outside Leinster House in Dublin, against overfishing in Irish Waters PA 30/50 8 December 2019 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn poses for selfies with supporters at a general election rally in Colwyn Bay, north Wales AFP via Getty 31/50 7 December 2019 Speedo Mick outside the stadium before the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park Action Images via Reuters 32/50 6 December 2019 A climate activist wearing a mask and holding a placard reading 'Fossil fuel era is over' outside Millbank Studios in London AP 33/50 5 December 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with the SNP campaign bus in front of the Queensferry Crossing, while on the General Election campaign trail in Scotland PA 34/50 4 December 2019 The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which is given every year by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the Second World War PA 35/50 3 December 2019 Protesters against the visit of US President Trump during a demonstration near Buckingham Palace on the first day of the Nato Summit in London EPA 36/50 2 December 2019 England captain Joe Root celebrates reaching his double century during day 4 of the second Test match against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand Getty 37/50 1 December 2019 A hard frost is seen on the first day of the meteorological winter in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters 38/50 30 November 2019 A police officer looks at flowers left at London Bridge in central London, after a terrorist wearing a fake suicide vest who went on a knife rampage killing two people, and was shot dead by police PA 39/50 29 November 2019 School children and students take part in the Youth Strike for Climate in London as part of the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike Angela Christofilou/The Independent 40/50 28 November 2019 Cyclists make their way up a tree lined hill near to Moor Crichel in Dorset. November's dismal weather will finally change, with drier and colder conditions coming for the start of December, forecasters have said PA 41/50 27 November 2019 The moment a swan flew over a flock of 60,000 starlings as dusk fell on Whixall Moss Nature Reserve in Shropshire Andrew Fusek Peters / SWNS 42/50 26 November 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon plays with local children during a visit to the Jelly Tots & Cookies Play Cafe in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire PA 43/50 25 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with sheep as he visits the Royal Welsh Showground, in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, whilst on the General Election campaign trail PA 44/50 24 November 2019 Cush Jumbo attends the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards at London Coliseum Getty Images 45/50 23 November 2019 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets a supporter on a train on his return from a visit to Sheffield PA 46/50 22 November 2019 Gallery assistants adjust 'The Ancient Town of Uglich' by Konstantin Yuon, 1913, estimated at £600,000 to £800,000, during a press preview of the sale of works by some of the most pre-eminent creators of Russian art at Sotheby's in London PA 47/50 21 November 2019 A mother seal appears to hug her pup as grey seals return to Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late autumn and winter to give birth PA 48/50 20 November 2019 After Mauricio Pochettino's sacking the eveninfg before newly appointed Tottenham head coach, Jose Mourinho, takes his first training session in charge Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty 49/50 19 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Jimmy Egan's Boxing Academy at Wythenshawe, while on the campaign trail ahead of the General Election PA 50/50 18 November 2019 Mist over Buttermere lake in the Lake District PA HS2’s HQ is moving from London to Birmingham, which has upset staff who don’t want to live in the West Midlands. Some will commute by rail, an irony given HS2 is to supposed to ease train congestion between London and Birmingham. Read more * Diary: A good day to bury inflated HS2 executives’ salaries * HS2 alternative 'could be £20bn cheaper and pay for itself' * Proposed HS2 route through Sheffield 'undermines' Northern Powerhouse Joe Rukin, campaign manager at Stop HS2, said: “It is completely unprecedented for the NAO to be working on a third report on a project at such an early stage. Previously the NAO said there was a ‘lack of clarity’ regarding HS2 and the Government has been unrealistic about the project, but these serious concerns were brushed aside, so it is no real surprise that the NAO is investigating again. All the independent reports about HS2 have shown it is a disaster waiting to happen. “The fact HS2 Ltd staff refuse to relocate to Birmingham is the ultimate hypocrisy from overpaid bureaucrats who are only interested in running their own gravy train.” An HS2 spokesman said: “We welcome the NAO scrutiny as part of a process to ensure we deliver this vital project in the most effective way. We have been pleased to co-operate and work with Government as we approach our first Review Point … “HS2 Ltd and Government committed to moving our HQ… two years ago. This is not only practical (as Birmingham lies at the heart of HS2) it is also cost efficient in terms of, for example, office rent. Inevitably, there will be a mix of new recruitment, relocation and redundancy.” More about HS2 | high speed rail | home news | Transport | trains | Cabinet | Show{{#moreThan3_total}} {{value_total}} {{/moreThan3_total}} comments Comments Share your thoughts and debate the big issues Learn more (BUTTON) {{#singleComment_p}}{{value_p}} Independent Premium comment{{/singleComment_p}}{{^singleComment_p}}{{value_p}} Independent Premium comments{{/singleComment_p}} (BUTTON) {{#singleComment_open}}{{value}} open comment{{/singleComment_open}}{{^singleComment_open}}{{value}} open comments{{/singleComment_open}} Open Comments Join the discussion (BUTTON) Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. * You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully * Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable * Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties * We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. 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HS2 in danger of coming off the rails as problems multiply 1/3 Chancellor George Osborne takes part in a tour of the train wheel manufacturers Lucchini UK, in Manchester, in 2013. The first phase of HS2 opens in 2026 Getty 2/3 The debate over HS2 highlights the tension between local communities and national interest over big infrastructure projects EPA 3/3 The HSUK proposal