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North East council leaders have backed HS2 after a damning report said costs for the high speed rail scheme are out of control.

Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said a commitment to invest in the project would show that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is committed to investing in the region.

His comments come after a review panel accused those in charge of the project of "fiddling figures" and claimed Parliament was "seriously misled" over the costs of the scheme.

(Image: Copyright Unknown)

Coun Forbes said: "This will be Boris Johnson's first big test about whether he is going to invest in the north or not.

"HS2 has never been about faster trains, it is about more rail capacity."

He added: "It is essential that this much needed infrastructure project goes ahead immediately.

"I have been calling for years now that it starts in the north and work south."

Former Labour transport spokesman Lord Berkeley accused the project of being "completely out of control financially".

Coun Forbes said the project was always going to be expensive, but said if Mr Johnson was serious about the north he'd back investment.

It comes after a hard-hitting 70-page dissenting report into the high speed rail proposal was published, listing several grave concerns.

The main issues was the estimated cost that saw work initially expected to be in the region of £50.1 billion, with estimates by HS2 Ltd - the private company in charge of the project - putting the price at £88bn.

But Lord Berkeley claims independent analysis puts the figure at around £107.92bn.

Speaking Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday, Lord Berkeley added: "For me, HS2, if it were almost cancelled except for the bit in the Northern Powerhouse area and replaced by about half the investment on local services, local rail network in the north and the Midlands, it would be much better for everybody who lives up there.

"Saving 50 billion at this stage, I think, is quite something that we'll want to look at."

Peter Jackson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said there were a number of extremely important short-term projects happening the area.

(Image: Andrew O'Brien)

This includes the Northumberland line that would link Ashington to Newcastle Central via Bedlington and Blyth.

He added: "In the long-term, there needs to be an increase in capacity on the railway from the south of England and north of England.

"Whether that is HS2 or a slightly different project, there has to be greater capacity on the railway.

"Railway use has doubled in the last 10 years, with many of the train lines running north to south at full capacity."

Responding to Lord Berkeley's comments, Director of the Northern Powerhouse project Henri Murison said they "sound like the views of someone who has always been a sceptic of HS2 simply making the points they've made before".

He added: "He accused the Government and others of misleading Parliament which is wrong, but he also gets the numbers wrong."

Phase one of HS2 is planned to run between London and Birmingham. It was initially planned to launch in 2026, but a recent report by HS2 Ltd stated that this could be pushed back until 2031.

An HS2 Ltd spokesman said: "There have been many individual views expressed about the HS2 project, however we await the publication of the Government's official review.

"HS2 Ltd has provided full cooperation to Mr Oakervee and his review team, and if the Government decides to proceed we have a highly skilled team in place ready to build Britain's new railway.

"Investment in a state-of-the-art high speed line is critical for the UK's low-carbon transport future, will provide much needed rail capacity up and down the country, and is integral to rail projects in the North and Midlands which will help rebalance the UK economy."

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A Department for Transport spokesman said: "The Government commissioned the Oakervee review to provide advice on how and whether to proceed with HS2, with an independent panel representing a range of viewpoints. Lord Berkeley's report represents his personal view."

Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse rail director at Transport for the North, said: "Whilst we appreciate Lord Berkeley's strong support for investment in northern infrastructure, we're concerned about the view that the North doesn't need HS2.

"More rail capacity and better connectivity will be vital if we're going to get people out of their cars and encourage more sustainable travel."