Earlier today, Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Transport announced she would be delaying the announcement on HS2 until next year “to ensure that my decision is based on a careful consideration of all relevant factors”.
The full text of the announcement:
The Secretary of State for Transport (Justine Greening): The Department for Transport’s Business plan says that, following the consultation on high speed rail which was held earlier this year, we would complete the analysis of consultation responses and announce our subsequent decisions to Parliament in December.
Since taking up office in October I have been considering the issues, raised as part of the consultation and additionally have listened to the views of Honourable Members. In order to ensure that my decision is based on a careful consideration of all relevant factors, I have concluded that I should allow myself until early in 2012 to announce my decisions. I am therefore notifying the House that I will not be making a further statement on the subject of high speed rail this year, but I expect to announce my decisions in January.
This does not mean opponents of HS2 should sit back and wait for her response. Many people have raised issues with HS2. However, if you have information about factors which should be included when she is considering her decision, which perhaps were not covered by the consultation, please get in touch with her and your MP, to ensure that she takes them into consideration.