The Government has launched a review into HS2.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key moments in the history of the project:

– January 2009:

Labour’s Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announces an investigation into a high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands, and potentially further north. Government-owned company HS2 Ltd is formed to consider the case for the line.

– March 2010:

The Government publishes its conclusions in a white paper, finding that there is a good case for high-speed rail and identifying its preferred route between London and the West Midlands.

– January 2012:

Justine Greening, Transport Secretary under the coalition government, announces that HS2 will go ahead. It is to be built in two phases. The first will see construction of a new line between London and Birmingham, before a Y-shaped extension to Leeds and Manchester.

– November 2013:

A Phase 1 hybrid Bill, effectively the planning application for the route between London and Birmingham, is published.

– November 2016:

The Conservative government announces its preferred route for Phase 2 from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.

– February 2017:

The hybrid Bill receives Royal Assent after more than three years of parliamentary scrutiny.

RAIL HS2
(PA Graphics)

– July 2017:

The winners of £6.6 billion worth of contracts involving the construction of tunnels, bridges, embankments and viaducts are announced.

– July 2017:

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirms the route between the North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire.

– November 2017:

Five bids are shortlisted for a £2.75 billion contract to design and build HS2 trains.

– February 2018:

The Department for Transport says enabling work has begun in preparation for building the railway.

– December 2018:

Sir Terry Morgan is forced to resign from his positions as chairman of HS2 Ltd and Crossrail Ltd.

– January 2019:

The project’s first tower cranes are assembled at London Euston.

– May 2019:

HS2 Ltd says 9,000 jobs around the UK are now supported by the project, with work ongoing across 250 sites.

– July 2019:

Transport Minister Baroness Vere says £7.4 billion has already been spent on HS2, with a large chunk of the money going towards land and property purchases.

– August 2019:

Boris Johnson’s government announces a review into the scheme.