Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe HS2 rail project's budget has doubled, with the estimated cost now ranging from £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion in 2025 prices, nearly £60 billion more than initially projected. The target opening schedule for HS2 has been delayed by 13 years, now expected between May 2036 and October 2039. HS2 chief executive Mark Wild called the cost increase "terrible news," attributing it to "immaturity of design" when work started, but expressed confidence in the new robust estimates. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander announced that trains will run slower than planned, at a maximum of 320kmh (199mph), and blamed "failures of successive Conservative governments" for the "obscene increase in time and costs." Wild warned that canceling the project could cost between £33 billion and £58 billion, while a former Tory minister, Sir Gavin Williamson, called for the "busted project" to be brought to a close. In fullHS2 cost increase is ‘terrible news’, says rail bossThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
HS2 boss explains why costs have spiralled by a ‘terrible’ £60bn
Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe HS2 rail project's budget has doubled, with the estimated cost now ranging from £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion in 2025 prices, nearly £60 billion more than initially projected. The target opening schedule for HS2 has been delayed by 13 years, now expected between May 2036 and October 2039. HS2 chief executive Mark Wild called the cost increase "terrible news," attributing it to "immaturity of design" when work started, but expressed confidence in the new robust estimates. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander announced that trains will run slower than planned, at a maximum of 320kmh (199mph), and blamed "failures of successive Conservative governments" for the "obscene increase in time and costs." Wild warned that canceling the project could cost between £33 billion and £58 billion, while a former Tory minister, Sir Gavin Williamson, called for the "busted project" to be brought to a close. In fullHS2 cost increase is ‘terrible news’, says rail bossThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
