Engaging Multiple Actors in Large-Scale Transport Infrastructure Project Appraisal: An Application of MAMCA to the Case of HS2 High-Speed Rail
Table 2
Summary of the three project options assessed in the survey.
HS2 Phase I
Alternative 1: West Coast Main Line upgrade
Alternative 2: High-Speed Rail along M1 motorway
Base investment cost
ca. £20 billion (£19.4-21.4bn)
ca. £3 billion (£2.6-3.8bn)
ca. £22 billion (£2.2bn more than HS2 Phase I)
Journey time between London Euston and Birmingham
49 minutes
73 minutes (currently: 85 minutes)
55 minutes
Maximum speed
250 mph (=400 kph)
140 mph (=225 kph) (currently: 125mph or 200kph)
186 mph (=300 kph) (same as HS1 between London and Paris)
Key features
(i) New dedicated line from London to Birmingham with no stations in between (ii) Route avoids major population centres by running mostly through rural areas (iii) Route passes through Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
(i) Line passes through and serves many population centres between London and Birmingham (ii) Requiring very little additional land (iii) Some disruption of existing service expected during upgrade
(i) New dedicated line from London to Birmingham with no stations in between (ii) Route passes through or near many population centres (iii) Avoids Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
