I was depressed to read Larry Elliott’s article (HS2 is the white elephant in the room. If the Tories won’t scrap it, Labour must, 10 August). I have worked on HS2 contracts for the last five years, and it’s crucial that common misconceptions in the piece do not go unchallenged.
What the story lacks is its central political context. The scope of HS2 and its procurement contracts are subject to continuous revision. This may seem like due diligence on a £106bn project, but in reality this process is itself piling waste on to the scheme while pushing back the date at which we can benefit from a new low-carbon railway.
