😠 HS2 Mitigation Projects: Inflation

• Greg Smith, MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, discussed the impact of inflation on HS2 mitigation projects in his area.
  • He focused on two main issues: noise mitigation for St Mary’s Church in Wendover and new facilities for Wendover Cricket Club.
• St Mary’s Church has been promised £250,000 for noise mitigation due to HS2 construction and future train noise.
  • However, due to inflation, this amount now covers less than half of the originally planned work.
  • Greg Smith argued that HS2 Ltd must honour the commitment to the church, emphasizing the importance of fairness and trust.
• Wendover Cricket Club was promised £200,000 to relocate and upgrade facilities due to disruption from HS2.
  • Inflation has impacted the project, with delays and potential reduction in promised facilities.
  • The club has already invested in groundwork and is considering further self-funded improvements based on the expected HS2 funds.
• Greg Smith called for government action to ensure HS2 Ltd delivers on its promises despite inflationary pressures.
  • He requested specific assurances for St Mary’s Church and Wendover Cricket Club, emphasizing the need for transparency and alternative funding if necessary.
• The Transport Minister, Mike Kane, responded by acknowledging the challenges posed by inflation and other factors on HS2 costs.
  • He noted that the government is working to manage these costs, including setting up a ministerial taskforce for transparency and accountability.
• Regarding St Mary’s Church, the Minister explained that the £250,000 was a fixed amount without provisions for inflation.
  • He encouraged the church and HS2 to negotiate the agreed works to utilize the available funds effectively.
• For Wendover Cricket Club, the Minister confirmed HS2 is reviewing the request for inflation-adjusted funding.
  • He committed to follow up if a timely response is not provided.
• The issue of road damage due to HS2 was also raised, with the Minister stating HS2 is working with local councils to manage repairs.
  • He pointed out that road repair funding is not affected by inflation as it is based on baseline conditions agreed at the project’s start.
• The debate highlighted broader concerns about HS2’s impact on communities and the need for the project to fulfill its mitigation commitments despite economic challenges.

The session exhibits a moderate level of disagreement, particularly between the concerns raised by the Members of Parliament and the responses provided by the Minister of State for Transport, Mike Kane. Here are the key points of disagreement and examples that influenced the rating:

1. Disagreement on Funding Commitments: Greg Smith expressed significant concerns about the impact of inflation on previously agreed funding for community projects, specifically citing St Mary’s church and Wendover cricket club. The disagreement centers on the adequacy of the fixed financial commitments in the face of rising inflation. Smith argued that the original pledges were inadequate due to inflation, while the Minister, Mike Kane, reiterated that the commitments were fixed and not subject to index-linking. For instance, Smith stated that the original £250,000 for St Mary’s church would now only cover less than 50% of the needed work. In contrast, Kane noted that the assurance did not provide for inflation and suggested focusing on negotiating the work that can be done with the available funds.

2. Difference in Views on Project Viability and Management: There was a clear disagreement on the management and overall handling of HS2 between the Minister and Joy Morrissey. Morrissey suggested scrapping the project altogether as a cost-saving measure, indicating deep dissatisfaction with the project’s progress and costs. Kane responded by highlighting the project’s importance to national infrastructure and its implications on other regional developments like Northern Powerhouse Rail, showing a direct disagreement on whether to continue or cancel the project.

3. Specific Issue of Road Repairs: The discussion on road repairs in Buckinghamshire saw alignment in recognizing the issue but disagreement on the solutions and their implementation. Morrissey raised concerns about the inadequacy of compensation and repairs due to HS2 traffic, while Kane responded by suggesting that current systems and resources allocated by HS2 to Buckinghamshire Council should suffice, indicating a disagreement on whether the existing measures effectively mitigate the road damage.

The disagreements are notable but not highly contentious, leading to a rating of 3. The exchange was polite and focused on policy issues rather than personal attacks, which kept the level of disagreement at a moderate level. Despite the discussions and the different viewpoints, the overall tone was one of trying to work through the issues rather than outright opposition, hence not warranting a higher disagreement rating.