Key moments in the history of the HS2 rail project

The Government has launched a review into HS2.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key moments in the history of the project:

– January 2009:

Labour’s Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announces an investigation into a high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands, and potentially further north. Government-owned company HS2 Ltd is formed to consider the case for the line.

– March 2010:

The Government publishes its conclusions in a white paper, finding that there is a good case for high-speed rail and identifying its preferred route between London and the West Midlands.

Justine Greening, Transport Secretary under the coalition government, announces that HS2 will go ahead. It is to be built in two phases. The first will see construction of a new line between London and Birmingham, before a Y-shaped extension to Leeds and Manchester.

– November 2013:

A Phase 1 hybrid Bill, effectively the planning application for the route between London and Birmingham, is published.

– November 2016:

The Conservative government announces its preferred route for Phase 2 from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.

– February 2017:

The hybrid Bill receives Royal Assent after more than three years of parliamentary scrutiny.

The winners of £6.6 billion worth of contracts involving the construction of tunnels, bridges, embankments and viaducts are announced.

– July 2017:

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirms the route between the North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire.

– November 2017:

Five bids are shortlisted for a £2.75 billion contract to design and build HS2 trains.

– February 2018:

The Department for Transport says enabling work has begun in preparation for building the railway.

– December 2018:

Sir Terry Morgan is forced to resign from his positions as chairman of HS2 Ltd and Crossrail Ltd.

– January 2019:

The project’s first tower cranes are assembled at London Euston.

– May 2019:

HS2 Ltd says 9,000 jobs around the UK are now supported by the project, with work ongoing across 250 sites.

– July 2019:

Transport Minister Baroness Vere says £7.4 billion has already been spent on HS2, with a large chunk of the money going towards land and property purchases.

– August 2019:

Boris Johnson’s government announces a review into the scheme.