Why is HS2 so overbudget?

HS2 was expected to cost between 72 billion and 98 billion pounds at 2019 prices, but since then the bill has been pushed up by inflation - which ran at around 18% in the construction industry last year, affecting materials like timber, steel and concrete.



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HS2 was originally envisaged to operate more trains an hour and higher speeds than any comparable high-speed line elsewhere in the world. It has been estimated that this pushed up costs by about 10 per cent.

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The main gain of HS2 is that it frees up space on the rail network for more freight services. This point has often been missed in discussions about the project. There is no doubt that there would be environmental gains. The passenger gains are less compelling and less urgent.

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He continued that HS2 will help support economic growth and make a major contribution towards rebalancing the economy.[284] We take rebalancing the economy to mean stimulating growth outside of London and the South-East, rather than encouraging growth at the expense of London and the South-East.

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HS2 currently has five TBMs in the ground, with a further five due to be launched over the coming years. Together they will create 64 miles (103 kilometres) of tunnel between London and the West Midlands including major tunnels on the approaches to London and Birmingham.

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HS2 will be delayed by another two years and major roadbuilding schemes will be mothballed, ministers have confirmed, after soaring inflation added billions to the cost of transport infrastructure projects.

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HS2 will be the UK's zero carbon alternative for long-distance travel. It will reduce the need for car, lorry and plane journeys playing a vital role in delivering the Government's ambitious goal of Britain becoming net zero carbon by 2050.

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While HS2 Ltd. has failed to meet the key schedule performance mark, it says it remains on course to complete the work well in the range of 2029 to 2033. But when the line will reach the central London terminal at Euston is still unknown. With costs rising, the government paused work at Euston in March.

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It Won't Help and May Hurt the Economy. Studies have found that high-?speed trains can generate new economic development near the stations where the trains stop. However, the same studies show that economic development slows in communities not served by such trains.

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Other groups opposing HS2 include the HS2 Action Alliance, The Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. The group has a chairperson, a treasurer and a campaign manager, relying on donations to pay them. In 2011, it made a fundraiser to pay its campaign manager Joe Rukin.

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HS2 will also play a crucial role delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail – the backbone for an integrated northern rail network. Together these better connections will help to level-up the country.

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The entirety of the HS2 rail link between London and Birmingham is to be scrapped and replaced with a train of Dacia Sanderos welded together, the government has announced.

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The CEF & BLEF schemes will provide up to £45m of funding throughout the construction timeline of HS2, supporting community-led projects that improve the environment, such as tree planting and energy efficiency measures.

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