Former Head of Planning and Performance at HS2, Andrew Bruce, has revealed a multibillion-pound cover up plan to hide the ballooning costs of the project.
Bruce, who worked on the HS2 project from 2015 to 2016, was put in charge of repossessing houses and buying land for the rail network, and given a budget of "£2.8billion".
The rail project, which was recently scrapped in the northern regions by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was given a budget of £55.7billion in 2015, but ballooned to over £100billion.
Whistleblowers from the HS2 Ltd company now claim that bosses downplayed the true cost of building it.
Andrew Bruce reveals he was ordered to 'shred' report documents on HS2's costs
GB News
Appearing on GB News show Farage, Bruce detailed his role in HS2 and exposed the goings on to cover up the surging costs.
Bruce revealed that in his first week on the job, he realised "there was a very large fundamental problem with that estimate" of £2.8billion, adding "it was wrong, very clearly wrong".
Bruce admitted he was upset by the deceit of the projected costs, saying: "We were taking people's property from them, but we didn't have the money to pay. So the team that I was with was deliberately undervaluing their properties because we didn't actually have the funds to pay them properly for what their properties were worth.
"And I felt that was very wrong. And I felt that I could do something about that from the inside if I showed HS2 actually how much money we really needed. £4.8 billion was the figure I had."
Bruce revealed the company spent "millions" writing a report to show HS2 that the costing estimates were too low, and after a new company director joined, Bruce was ordered to "shred" the reports.
When Nigel asked what happened next, Bruce replied: "He said Andrew take all these reports, shred them, put them in the shredding bin, destroy them.
"And I said, but this is 3 months worth of work, this is our plan to move forward. This is to show how much money we really need, how we're going to do this properly honestly to the taxpayer. And, he says, shred it.
Bruce continued: "He then asked me to write a brand new programme, but I had to write it myself in four days."
Andrew Bridgen praised Andrew Bruce and Nigel Farage's expose on GB News
X
In a statement given to GB News, HS2 Ltd said in response: "In the course of updating estimates on land and property, costs have increased, and we have been completely transparent about this process.
"No order was given to destroy the Deloitte report, and it was not shredded. Electronic copies were retained."
Department for Transport said "the Government and its public bodies take such claims seriously. They would ensure they are thoroughly investigated."
“Several of the claims detailed have already been established as unfounded, including through an independent National Audit Office report. While further claims are currently under investigation by HS2 Ltd, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.”
Bruce reacted to the statement: "I shredded them personally myself".
Reclaim Party MP Andrew Bridgen responded to Bruce’s interview with Nigel, praising both GB News and Nigel Farage for bringing the issue to light.
Taking to social media platform X, Bridgen said: “I explained some weeks ago how HS2 bought land and properties at considerably less than their true value all along the route (including my own home).
“I have spoken with Andrew Bruce the whistleblower on several occasions, a brave man who has been attacked by the establishment. Well done Nigel Farage and GB News for giving him a platform.”
