Image source: the Guardian

HS2 cost estimate rises to £102.7bn as first trains slip to 2039

The UK government says HS2 may now cost up to £102.7bn, with first trains between London and Birmingham delayed until 2039 and full completion pushed into the 2040s.

The government says HS2 could cost up to £102.7bn and that the first trains between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street may not run until 2036-2039, far later and more expensive than originally promised.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the full route to London Euston could be finished only by 2040-2043, and blamed the previous Conservative government for missed scope, underestimates, and poor delivery.

Officials said part of the plan to cut costs is to reduce top speeds and likely drop automatic train operation, which they say would simplify testing and lower the complexity of the railway’s systems.

The project is still expected to connect into the West Coast Main Line via Handsacre, letting services continue north using existing tracks while HS2 itself is completed in stages.

What position do you feel closer to?

Pro-HS2 Infrastructure Backers

The rising cost and long delay are troubling, but abandoning or shrinking HS2 now would be far worse for the UK’s economy, regions and climate goals.

HS2 Cost and Delay Critics

The new £102.7bn price tag and 2030s–2040s timelines show HS2 has become a runaway vanity project that should be scaled back or halted, not handed yet another blank cheque.

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