Northern rail project risks repeating HS2 failures, MPs warn

Building Northern Powerhouse Rail risks repeating the failures of HS2 with “no convincing plan” to deliver it within a £45bn budget, an influential committee of MPs has warned.

- Gwyn Topham

The government announced in January its commitment and funding for the Northern Powerhouse Rail project to connect cities across the north, consisting of new or upgraded lines between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York and Sheffield.

However, a report from the public accounts committee (PAC) said it was not confident the Department for Transport had “learned all the lessons from its past failures in its management of other rail projects” and said there were “clear risks that the full programme and benefits cannot be delivered within its £45bn funding cap”.