Lib Dems reject any caveats in support for HS2, declaring it "essential"

The Liberal Democrats today rejected an attempt by the leadership to caveat the party's support for HS2 on it being part of "a balanced package of investment across the whole country" and that it "must be subject to rigorous scrutiny to manage costs".

Party transport spokesperson Baroness Randerson's motion on transport policy, including a high-level aim for a zero carbon Britain by 2050, notes that rail infrastructure is failing to keep pace with demand and urban areas regularly breach EU limits for dangerous nitrogen dioxide, and states that the Conservatives are "failing to commit to transport investment agreed in coalition". It also, unlike Labour, says that widespread reorganisation of railway ownership is not the answer to problems with franchises such as Southern Railway, and so "the existing franchise system must be made to work better".

However, the leadership's lukewarm support for a project that does not benefit some parts of the country including the South West of England, where many Lib Dem target seats are, was rejected by delegates in favour of a statement that HS2 and HS3 are both "essential and long-overdue" and would form the "essential backbone upon further development of supporting heavy and light-rail systems will be based and is essential to further investment and revitalisation of the North of England".

The move comes as MPs demand to know where HS2 will go, what it will cost, and when it will open following changes by HS2 Ltd to the alignment in South Yorkshire.