HS2 bill could rise to £102bn with first trains delayed until 2039, government admits

Transport secretary says first official estimate in 2026 prices shows cost turbocharged by inflation Business live – latest updates The HS2 high-speed railway will now cost up to £102.7bn and trains will not start running between London and Birmingham until as late as 2039, the government has admitted – £70bn more and 13 years later than originally promised. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said that the truncated railway would not be entirely completed until as late as 2043. Cont...

By Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent