Half a million people will have their lives ‘blighted’ by the construction of the , an environmental group claimed as a thinktank suggested the final cost of the scheme could top £80 billion.
But Birmingham business leaders reacted angrily to the two reports, and claimed both were based on flawed research.
A study by the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) called for the project to be scrapped, saying it “defies economic logic” and .
READ MORE: {}
The report suggested that the Government’s £42.6 billion estimate would spiral because of a variety of factors, including changes to routes and extra tunnelling to placate opposition from campaigners; and new stations and transport infrastructure around the proposed line.
Dr Richard Wellings, the report’s author said: “The evidence is now overwhelming that this will be unbelievably costly to the taxpayer while delivering incredibly poor value for money.
“It’s shameful that, at a time of such financial difficulty for many families, the Government is caving in to lobbying from businesses, local councils and self-interested politicians more concerned with winning votes than governing in the national interest.”
Meanwhile, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) warned that life in towns and villages up to 25 miles from the rail route will be disrupted by the movement of construction vehicles while the line is being built.
Towns along a 40-mile wide corridor – such as Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, Thame in Oxfordshire, Princes Risborough and Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire – will be affected by the millions of extra lorry journeys, claims the CPRE.
Most Read
CPRE transport campaigner Ralph Smyth strongly criticised HS2 for its reluctance to hand over the information.
“It is not acceptable that it took a charity to uncover this and let up to half a million people know that they will be affected by this project.”
But Birmingham’s Chamber of Commerce accused the reports of indulging in “wild guesses”.
Chamber chief executive Jerry Blackett, said: “The IEA do not set out how they have done their sums to arrive at the £30 billion (added to £50 billion official cost estimates) to give the £80 billion total.
"Their figures are not based on evidence – it’s a wild guess, which they effectively concede.
"The £30 billion is attributed in the report to ‘transport schemes linking to HS2’ – schemes that elsewhere they say will probably ‘never be built’. So it can be concluded – from their own report – that the £30 billion figure is a wild guess at the costs of some schemes that they say will probably never be built.”
On the CPRE report, Mr Blackett added: “Overall the report is in many areas flimsy and unsubstantiated and no account is given to the disastrous results of not building HS2.
Don’t miss
“They ignore the broader impact of the gridlock on the West Coast mainline that will result if we do nothing.”
Local MPs and council leaders united to call for a rethink of the project.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said: “The IEA figure of £80 billion for HS2 is hotly disputed, but either way, the present route of the high speed line is both environmentally and financially expensive.
"The North-South line needs a total rethink utilising existing transport corridors to minimise the cost and the environmental damage.”
Chair of West Midlands Fire Authority and Sandwell councillor John Edwards said: “HS2 costs double, years before it starts. Sane politicians would invest in current transport routes but we are governed by mad people. L
"abour should say it loud and clear – we will ditch the vainglorious HS2 and invest in a publicly-owned transport system.”
North Warwickshire MP, Dan Byles “The news that HS2 could ultimately cost double previous estimates and will run at a loss is no real surprise to those if us who have been campaigning against it from the start.
“I have been leading the local anti-HS2 campaign together with our local action groups. We are fighting to stop HS2 altogether but with the cross party support for the project in Westminster that will be difficult.
"So we are also fighting hard for better compensation and mitigation for local communities,”
A spokesman for HS2 Ltd said: “While we respect the right of the IEA to state its case, their approach has clearly been designed to suit their aims and those of their funders to dismiss any major government project, something that they have consistently done over recent years.
“Government has set us a target cost of £17.16 billion for phase 1 of HS2 and we are focused on delivering within that target. HS2 is an engine for growth that provides significant value for money and will create a transformational national economic asset from which the whole of the 海角视频 will benefit for years to come.”