Former HS2 worker secures £320,000 compensation after alleging managers concealed project cost
Loose Lips, Big Bucks:
Stephen Cresswell, a cost analyst who formerly worked for High Speed 2 (HS2), has just walked away with an impressive £319,070 due to a tribunal ruling in his favor. This hefty sum comes after he accused HS2 bosses of distorting the real cost of the long-delayed railway project, a controversy that's been brewing for quite some time.
Cresswell, a man with a knack for number-crunching, claimed that his contract wasn't renewed at HS2 Ltd in 2022, following his constant warnings that the rail link's costs were far from truthfully represented. He told the employment tribunal in Croydon that he was straightforwardly advised by one executive to disregard his forecasts showing a significant hike in the project's cost, an initial projection of £30bn in 2010 prices back when ministers first announced the project.
After receiving the compensation, Cresswell was quoted by the Financial Times, suggesting shutting down HS2 and launching an exhaustive inquiry to understand the reasons for the project's escalating costs, now estimated to be at least £80bn in today's prices.
Initially, HS2 was designed as a high-speed Y-shaped train line, aiming to connect London with both Manchester and Leeds via Birmingham. Since its conception in 2010, the project has been bogged down by controversy, delays, and budget overruns. In 2020, then-Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even axed the northern leg, leaving the railway connecting only London and Birmingham.
The House of Commons public accounts committee has since labeled HS2 a "cautionary tale," urging future governments to be mindful of improper project management while executing major undertakings.
Cresswell briefly joined HS2 Ltd in 2014 before returning in 2018 and continuing until 2022 when his contract was not renewed. This transition followed just months after he authored a memo to colleagues, alleging that figures were being manipulated with the intention of deceiving politicians.
Cresswell later sued HS2, arguing that his contract termination was retaliation for his role as a whistleblower.
Cresswell said, "In my opinion, HS2 is an organization that ought not to ber trusted with public money. HS2 is squandering taxpayer value. A well-functioning administration would halt the program."
Interestingly, HS2 admitted that Cresswell had brought forth concerns as a whistleblower, albeit it was not due to the unfolded allegations. Instead, they acknowledged that Cresswell wasn't given adequate protection when he expressed his reservations about HS2's cost management practices. Although an internal investigation found no evidence of illegal activity, they admitted that there were some questionable cultural and behavioral issues in the organization related to its cost estimates.
Two previous whistleblowers who once worked at HS2 have come forward and accused the top brass of dishonesty regarding the real costs of the project. The Department for Transport acknowledged the seriousness of whistleblowing allegations but stated that Cresswell was not provided with appropriate levels of protection. They emphasized that it would take substantial effort to get HS2 back on track.
- The controversial escalating costs of the HS2 project, which is a major undertaking in the industry, have raised concerns in the realm of both politics and general news, with Stephen Cresswell, a former cost analyst, accusing HS2 bosses of distorting the real cost and winning a substantial sum in a tribunal.
- As a result of the inflation of costs in the HS2 project, discussions have arisen in the world of finance, with Stephen Cresswell suggesting that the project be shut down and a comprehensive inquiry be launched to understand the reasons for the cost escalations.
- The HS2 project, initially designed as a high-speed train line connecting London, Manchester, and Leeds, has been fraught with controversy, delays, and budget overruns, raising questions about proper project management in business and politics.