HS2 could cost more than £100 billion and may not open until 2039, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has announced. The Cabinet minister told the Commons she was “angry” about the “obscene increase in time and costs”, which she blamed on “the failures of successive Conservative governments”.
Cost Estimates and Delays
She said the expected cost of completing the high-speed railway was between £87.7 billion and £102.7 billion (in 2025 prices). Constructing the line from London to Birmingham – plus the now abandoned onward legs to Leeds and Manchester – was initially estimated to cost £32.7 billion (in 2011 prices), but the budget has spiralled. Services were planned to launch in 2026, but the new target schedule is between May 2036 and October 2039.
Speed Reduction to Save Money
Ms Alexander also announced that HS2 trains will run slower than planned to save money. She said the maximum speed of services will be 320km/h (199mph), down from the original design of 360km/h (224mph). Services will still be among “the fastest trains in Europe”, she told MPs.
Reasons for Cost Increase
Ms Alexander said the cost increase is mostly because of “past misunderstanding of the work required, underestimation and inefficiency, issues within the control of HS2 Ltd, some of its suppliers, and previous governments”. The announcement has sparked renewed debate over the viability of the project, which has faced repeated criticisms for its escalating budget and delayed timeline.
