But the initial case for HS2 had been given as increasing capacity on the 700-mile West Coast Main Line which runs between London Euston and Glasgow. Andrew Meaney, partner at economics and finance consultancy Oxera, was asked by the Transport Select Committee in 2011 to analyse the business case for HS2. Speaking about the 'benefit-cost ratio', which compares the economic benefits to its costs, he told the podcast: 'The way these benefits are calculated, a lot of it comes from bypass schemes. He said: 'We were expecting a Rolls Royce business case at that point. This included an updated assessment of the value of business travellers' time, given all the technological advancements over the decade.

Source: Daily Mail December 27, 2025 14:56 UTC