The subject of HS2 has been discussed here before and my view was and still is that its £56bn that could be spent to benefits us all not just a minute number of the population that need to get to and from London a little quicker.
The new cost is discussed further down the articee-
BBC news -
The government is launching a review of high-speed rail link HS2 - with a "go or no-go" decision by the end of the year, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.
It will consider whether and how the project to connect London, the Midlands and northern England should proceed.
Billions have already been spent, but Mr Shapps refused to rule out scrapping it entirely.
He said it was "responsible" to see whether the benefits really "stack up".
Phase 1 of the development between London and Birmingham is due to open at the end of 2026, with the second phase to Leeds and Manchester scheduled for completion by 2032-33.
It is designed to carry trains capable of travelling at 250mph
When asked about the money already spent on the project, Mr Shapps said: "Just because you've spent a lot of money on something does not mean you should plough more and more money into it."
He said ministers were asking the reviewers "just give us the facts".
"Go and find out all the information that's out there… genuinely what it would cost to complete this project, and then we'll be in a much better position to make that decision - go or no-go by the end of the year."
The review will be chaired by Douglas Oakervee, a civil engineer and former chair of HS2 Ltd.
Lord Berkeley, another civil engineer who worked on the construction of the Channel Tunnel, will act as his deputy. The Labour peer has previously been critical of the project.
A final report will be sent to the government in the autumn.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49420332
The new cost is discussed further down the articee-
In July, the current chairman of the project reportedly warned that the total cost could rise by £30bn - up from the current budget of £56bn.
BBC news -
The government is launching a review of high-speed rail link HS2 - with a "go or no-go" decision by the end of the year, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.
It will consider whether and how the project to connect London, the Midlands and northern England should proceed.
Billions have already been spent, but Mr Shapps refused to rule out scrapping it entirely.
He said it was "responsible" to see whether the benefits really "stack up".
Phase 1 of the development between London and Birmingham is due to open at the end of 2026, with the second phase to Leeds and Manchester scheduled for completion by 2032-33.
It is designed to carry trains capable of travelling at 250mph
When asked about the money already spent on the project, Mr Shapps said: "Just because you've spent a lot of money on something does not mean you should plough more and more money into it."
He said ministers were asking the reviewers "just give us the facts".
"Go and find out all the information that's out there… genuinely what it would cost to complete this project, and then we'll be in a much better position to make that decision - go or no-go by the end of the year."
The review will be chaired by Douglas Oakervee, a civil engineer and former chair of HS2 Ltd.
Lord Berkeley, another civil engineer who worked on the construction of the Channel Tunnel, will act as his deputy. The Labour peer has previously been critical of the project.
A final report will be sent to the government in the autumn.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49420332