Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 31 January (HL5657), whether they will publish (1) the cost/benefit analysis, and (2) the additional independent analyses, on which they and HS2 Ltd based their decision to build a viaduct rather than a tunnel at Wendover.

The decision to adopt a majority surface route in the Wendover area was supported by the House of Commons Select Committee during the passage of the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Act 2017, who were fully presented with the costs and benefits of the presented options.

The alternative Wendover Mined Tunnel Proposal was subsequently assessed by HS2 Ltd and by independent consultants as being harder and more expensive to construct than the consented scheme. This assessment was provided to the constituency MP and local councillors at the time, and again in February 2020.

The Department does not release information provided in confidence by external suppliers or consultants.