The UK Government is under fresh pressure to extend its high speed rail plans to Scotland after a leaked report revealed it could cost the economy in north-east Scotland hundreds of millions of pounds.
But extending the HS2 scheme to Aberdeen could cost an extra £10billion, according to a report seen by the Press and Journal.
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray would be more than £220million a year worse off under the controversial project as it stands, which will put faster trains on routes between London Euston and the Midlands, north-west England and West Yorkshire.
In September, ministers said a report by KPMG concluded that HS2 would boost the British economy by £15billion a year.
While it listed the areas that would benefit – such as Greater London by £2.8billion and the West Midlands by £1.5billion – it omitted details of 50 areas that would end up worse off.
While cities, towns and regions in the south of England reap the benefits of being better connected, other places away from the line will pay a price.
Like the north-east, Dundee and Angus could lose as much as 2% of its annual GDP, KPMG found.
Last night, Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown used the finding to renew his calls for the tracks north of the border.
“This information reinforces the case that the Scottish Government, business and civic Scotland have been making, which is that HS2 must include Scotland in order to realise economic benefits for our communities,” he said.
“It also amplifies the point that the business case for the project is strengthened if Scotland is included.
“That is why we are keeping the pressure on Westminster, and finalising with the UK Government the remit of a study for planning high-speed rail routes linking Scotland and England.”
James Bream, policy director of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, said it was “really disappointing” that such a huge number was left out of the original report.
He added that the negative impact for the whole north-east of Scotland could be “significant, to say the least”.
But UK Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin remains in no doubt that HS2 will benefit the whole of the UK. “HS2 is vitally important overall for the long-term future of the economy,” he said.
A report by north-east transport body Nestrans shows that extending the rail scheme to Aberdeen would cost £10billion.
Nestrans chairman, Councillor Peter Argyll, said that while taking the line to the Granite City would be ideal, it was not economically viable.
However, like Mr Brown, he is pressing for the scheme to stretch to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
“It needs to come up to the central belt at the very least,” he said.
“That’s the best we can expect, because it’s too expensive to take up to Aberdeen.
“Even a connection to the central belt would go a long way to cutting journey times to London.”
The Department for Transport said HS2 was vital to “rebalance the economy”.
A spokesman said: “These figures show it boosts the north overall more than the south.
“Of course the line does not serve every city and region, and these figures reflect that.”
The DfT say ultimately the line would reduce journey times to Edinburgh and Glasgow by an hour.
There are no plans to extend the scheme to Scotland at present.
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