Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has announced that HS2, the £33bn project to link London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester is to be sold to private investors.
The rail link will be leased on a ’30-year concession to recoup taxpayers’ investment’, the minister announced.
It is thought that one of the front-runners in the bidding are Western who also bid for High Speed 1.
Others thought to be at the front of the queue include a consortium headed by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Borealis Infrastructure who won the lease on the HS1 route last year.
Others who failed to win the lease for HS1 and who may try for HS2 include the Public Sector Pension Investment Board of Canada, the BT pension scheme, The Allianze consortium and the Goldman Sachs/Groupe Eurotunnel led venture.
Mr Hammond said he was also hoping to raise money by inviting private firms to invest in the upgrade of Birmingham Curzon Street station, Birmingham Interchange and Euston station in London.
However he ruled out the use of private finance initiatives on the 250mph new line.
why does everyone in the media have a problem understanding the difference between sold and leased ! at the end of the first paragraph you say sold but in the next paragraph you say leased. Â
Now a days, investment is a primary need to live a better lifestyle in your future as everyone wants to be happy in last time of life. Everyone invest in his own way like some people invest in different policies or in gold, diamonds, etc.