HS2 to proceed despite anger from Tory MPs

Michael Fabricant was among those to voice his frustration over the project in a debate which saw legislation revived for Phase 2a, which will pass through 45 miles of Staffordshire countryside on its way from the West Midlands to Crewe.

And Stafford MP Theo Clarke spoke of her anger at how residents had been treated by HS2 Ltd, saying many of them could not cope with the pressure and had sold their homes for less than market value.

Mr Fabricant, the Conservative MP for Lichfield, said the project, which was signed off by the Government last month, would fail to meet its intended target of freeing up capacity.

He described HS2 as a "dead, rotten corpse" that the Commons was "trying to bring to life", and said David Cameron's Conservative government had "stupidly" adopted the plans when it could have run alongside the M40 or the M1 at a much cheaper cost.

"I am very angry about this," he said. "When I see a project that could have been done so well destroyed by people such as Lord Adonis and then rather stupidly adopted by a Conservative government, when we could have had an HS2 based on the Arup plan, which would have been cheaper, connected better and been environmentally less damaging, I ask: has the House lost its mind?

"When I see the Labour party supporting the Government, I know the House has lost its mind, because whenever there is agreement between both sides of the House we know something is wrong.

"Some might call this a revival, but for me it is a dead, rotten corpse that we are trying to bring to life."

Mr Fabricant added that he would remain opposed to HS2 in the hope that "maybe some day someone in this House will say, 'Enough is enough. If we are going to do something, let’s at least do it properly'."

Meanwhile Stafford MP Theo Clarke demanded compensation for residents affected by HS2, may of which she said had been "left in limbo" by HS2 Ltd's failure to thrash out "reasonable" compensation deals.

"I was devastated to learn from so many of my constituents that they had agreed to sell their homes – in some cases, their long-standing family homes, where they had raised their children – for less than the market value, and that their mental health could not cope with the pressure that they felt they were being put under by HS2," she said. "If I sound angry, it is because I am."

She said she was "reluctantly" supporting the project, adding: "The advert once said 'Let the train take the strain', and I hope it does, because at present the strain that it is putting on my constituents is unacceptable.

"I support the Government in building national infrastructure, but the lack of adequate compensation for my constituents and the delays by HS2 are simply unacceptable."

Former Cabinet Minister Owen Paterson, the Conservative MP for North Shropshire, said: "Rolling around the country in steel boxes on steel wheels on steel track is Victorian technology.

"It was revolutionary at the time. Now we have broadband."

Mr Johnson gave HS2 the green light despite concerns about its spiralling budget and damage to the environment.

It came after the Oakervee review recommended that ministers should proceed with the project, but warned that the final bill could reach £106 billion, more than triple its original budget.

Legislation for Phase 2a cleared the Commons in July 2019 and made progress in the Lords, but stalled due to the general election.