HS2 costs could balloon to eyewatering £86BILLION - £9billion more than previous estimate
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The cost of building HS2 could hit £66billion – a £9billion increase on the previous estimate. But if inflation is taken into account the latest figure would be closer to £80billion. Transport ministers confirmed the new calculation in a written statement last night from figures provided by the HS2 board.
![[Construction workers and members of the media look on moments after tunnel boring machine 'Cecelia' breaks through, after tunnelling under the Chiltern Hills]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/01/93257587-14203895-image-a-54_1734484947604.jpg)
It marks a huge hike from last November, when the Government estimated the cost will be up to £57billion in 2019 prices. The cost only covers the beleaguered high-speed rail scheme being built between London and Birmingham. It was originally to also run to Manchester and Leeds after forking into 'western' and 'eastern' legs at Birmingham.
![[An artist's impression of what HS2 will look like]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/01/93257697-14203895-image-a-55_1734484952385.jpg)
But Rishi Sunak scrapped the western leg last year amid concerns the price would exceed £100billion. The eastern leg was ditched by Boris Johnson in 2021. The Birmingham to London trains were originally due to begin in 2026. But this now won't happen until at least the mid-2030s.
![[HS2's site at London Euston. The cost only covers the beleaguered high-speed rail scheme being built between London and Birmingham]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/01/93257585-14203895-image-a-56_1734484955863.jpg)
The project initially had a price tag of just over £30billion, which included building the eastern and western legs. HS2's 2.1-mile long viaduct crossing the Colne Valley in Hertfordshire. If inflation is taken into account the cost of HS2 could be closer to £80billion.
![[An artist's impression image issued by HS2 of the Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/01/91806817-0-An_artist_s_impression_image_issued_by_HS2_of_the_Sheephouse_Woo-a-51_1734483952495.jpg)
Construction workers and members of the media look on moments after tunnel boring machine 'Cecelia' breaks through, after tunnelling under the Chiltern Hills. An artist's impression of what HS2 will look like. Yesterday it also emerged that HS2's chairman is to step down in the New Year.
![[In November, it was revealed that HS2 had blown £100million alone on the steel mesh 'shed' to protect bats]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/01/91806739-0-The_publicly_owned_company_built_the_steel_mesh_structure_alongs-a-52_1734483960401.jpg)
