MPs have been told that a £45bn scheme to improve rail connections across northern England cannot be delivered within its funding cap.
A report by the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee (PAC) compared the development of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) to the “lack of robust governance” in the early stages of HS2 which caused major problems.
The scheme is to be delivered in three phases with the first improving connections on existing lines between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York and between Leeds and Bradford.
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said the scheme would not “repeat the mistakes of HS2” which was why the government was taking a “discipline, phased” approach.
NPR was first proposed in 2014 and was originally envisioned as a new line between Liverpool and Hull.
The government announced in January that the scheme would be delivered in three stages, with a funding cap of £45bn, which could be topped up by local contributions.
The PAC said in its report it was not confident the DfT has “learned all the lessons from past failures” and noted that NPR “remains at an early stage despite more than 12 years of planning”.
“There is considerable uncertainty over scope, how the programme fits with other local and national transport plans and needs, and how the department will manage and deliver the rail improvements in practice,” the report said.
“There is a clear risk that the department cannot deliver the full programme and benefits within its £45bn funding cap.”