High speed rail should be developed north of Birmingham before new infrastructure is laid between the capital and Britain’s second city, a prominent London politician has said.

London Assembly member Richard Tracey told its transport committee last week that progress with HS2 in the London area faces the prospect of delay associated with judicial reviews, challenges about the route and compensation.

“It might solve a lot of problems if the HS2 project was started from the north of England first,” he said. “It would satisfy a lot of those indignant northern MPs who say London gets far too much and would also solve the Secretary of State’s problem of trying to argue with various judicial reviews.”

He added: “Frankly I speak for many people when I say I don’t need my journey time shortened to get to Birmingham. I’m sure that the north needs these services far more.”

Network Rail’s principal network planner Paul Harwood replied: “For us the high speed element is the increment on top, not the objective of the project. High Speed 2 is about additional capacity and freeing up the West Coast Mainline for short to medium distance services and freight.”

London Assembly member Andrew Dismore suggested to the meeting that the high speed route should terminate at Old Oak Common to the west of London rather than at Euston. But Transport for London’s head of planning for rail Geoff Hobbs said a central London terminus “is the right thing to do because that’s where the majority of passengers will want to go.

“Euston is a lot more well connected,” he added. “Old Oak Common would be well connected east/west because of Crossrail but not to the rest of the Underground network.”

(Photo: HS2)

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