Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on 17th July, Chris Grayling MP told listeners that HS2 was necessary in order to cope with Britain’s increasingly congested railways.
Mr Grayling said: “I have no plans to back away from the HS2 project, and the thing that’s important for people to understand is that HS2 is not simply a speed project – it’s a capacity project.
“We have lines at the moment which have seen huge increases in the number of passengers [and] the amount of freight in recent years.
“…We need a better transport system for the 21st century and HS2 is a part of increasing the capacity of our transport system.”
Mr Grayling cited the West Coast Main Line as one of the country’s most congested lines, with cities such as Northampton and Milton Keynes among the worst affected.
“Of course, it makes sense if we’re going to build a new railway line for it to be a fast railway line, to … reduce travel times from north to south. That’s logical,” he added.
Chris Grayling was elected Conservative MP for Epsom and Ewell in 2001.
He previously served as minister of state at the Department for Work and Pensions from May 2010 until September 2012.
Mr Grayling’s comments come just three weeks after the National Audit Office revealed that HS2 could face delays of up to one year.
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