Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Deferred
Bat protection structure increased specific railway section costs from £73 million to £168 million.
Conclusion
In follow–up evidence, the Department confirmed that the total cost of building the structure will be £95 million (in 2019 prices). The Department also reported that the cost of building that section of the railway, irrespective of any mitigation works, would have been £73 million, meaning that the bat structure more than doubled the costs of that section of railway to £168 million.43
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation and commits to a preliminary response by July 2025, with a final response by early 2026 after proposed measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill are finalised and Royal Assent received.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 4.2 The department intends to provide the Committee with a preliminary response in its letter to the Committee before the Summer recess begins in July 2025. 4.3 The proposed measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which would inform a re-assessment of this issue, including the Nature Restoration Fund and Environmental Delivery Plans, are not anticipated to be finalised, nor receive Royal Assent, until later in the year. 4.4 Once the measures are confirmed, and it is understood how they are intended to work in practice, the department will provide a final response to the Committee. This should be possible by early 2026. 4.5 The department is already working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to inform operation of the measures in response to the issues raised by the legal requirements for the HS2 bat mitigation structure.