HS2 is delayed once again – here’s how much it is over budget

The HS2 has come under more fire as costs have soared, with ‘billions of pounds wasted’ and fraud allegations. Britain’s most controversial transport project, the HS2, has been marred by delays, the cancellation of its northern leg and ballooning costs. It has made Britain ‘an international laughing stock,’ a minister warned (Picture: PA)

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has vowed to ‘end’ the HS2 downward spiral. She told the Commons today she is ‘drawing a line in the sand, calling time on years of mismanagement, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight.’ The opening of HS2 will be delayed and is likely to be after 2033, she confirmed. Matthew Pennycook, the housing and planning minister, said there are ‘serious problems’ with HS2 (Picture: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the HS2 Ltd and its contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci have referred two of its subcontractors to the HMRC over fraud allegations. The companies had allegedly hired employees working on the West Midland leg at inflated rates, according to i newspaper. Now, two fresh investigations will scrutinise the HS2 in an attempt to reset the ill-fated project. The first will be delivered by the HS2 CEO Mark Wild, while the second review focuses on HS2’s behind-the-scenes governance and accountability to decipher what has gone wrong and what can be learned so that the same mistakes can be avoided with future projects like the Northern Powerhouse Rail (Picture: Metro)

It comes after a warning that HS2 costs could surpass £80 billion. HS2 Ltd, the government-owned company building the railway, estimated in June last year that the project would cost between £54 billion and £66 billion. Ms Alexander confirmed that the cancelled sections will not be reinstated because ‘we can’t afford’ (Picture: Bloomberg/Getty Images)

Where will HS2 stop? The HS2 will run from Euston through Old Oak Common in west London to West Midlands. New stations will be built in Solihull near the Birmingham International Airport, and at Birmingham Curzon Street. HS2 was meant to run to Manchester and Leeds, but then-Conservative government axed the northern leg in 2023, to the dismay of Greater Manchester mayor And Burnham who called the move ‘profoundly depressing.’ For years, uncertainty surrounded the extension of HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston (Picture: PA)

The extension was confirmed in Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget. Plans are now being drawn up by the government for Euston station. This is expected to confirm the HS2 and National Rail services under a single concourse rather than two separate stations for high speed and standard rail (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

When will HS2 open? The first phase was initially due to launch by the end of 2026. Now the opening date has been pushed back, and is estimated to be beyond 2033. Ms Alexander confirmed today that trains will not run on the line by 2033, but she didn’t provide an exact date (Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

When did HS2 construction start? The HS2 was given the green light in 2012, but it look until 2020 construction began. HS2 has purchased more than 1,000 homes, farms and land along the route to make way for the tracks. However, the National Audit Office warned in 2016 that the project was at risk of delays and exceeding its budget. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson recommitted to the project in 2020 following another review. The HS2 got in hot water when then-Conservative government chopped down the scale of the high-speed railway by cancelling its northern leg (Picture: Getty Images)

How much will HS2 tickets cost? The ticket costs could change wildly by the time the HS2 opens, but they are expected to be pricier than a standard rail fare. HS2 tickets could cost up to 30% more than standard rail travel, previous estimates show, but there are no official figures yet. The higher cost is likely to absorb some of the construction costs and factor in faster journey times (Picture: Costain Group)

Inflation at the time of opening will also affect prices and whether the HS2 accepts Railcards. HS2 declined to comment on the accusations of problems, but it responded to the fraud allegations. A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd told Metro: ‘We treat all whistle-blower allegations seriously and are continuing to conduct our own investigation. Furthermore, HS2 Ltd has formally reported the allegations to HMRC, and we encourage anyone who believes they may have relevant information, which could support our enquiries, to report it in confidence via HS2’s Speak Out channels.’ Commenting on the fraud allegations, Ms Alexander said that if wrongdoing is proven, the ‘consequences will be felt by all involved’ (Picture: Costain Group)