HS2 in Crisis: New Delays & Soaring Costs Revealed – Who’s to Blame?
Introduction
Remember when HS2 was supposed to be the shiny new future of UK transport? Yeah, about that. The project’s hit another wall—bigger delays, even crazier costs. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander just dropped the latest bombshell: the high-speed rail line’s budget’s blown past £100 billion, and the finish line? Nowhere in sight. And of course, everyone’s pointing fingers. But here’s the real question—how did we get here, and who’s actually holding the bag?
HS2 Project: A Timeline of Delays & Cost Escalations
Initial Plans and Promises
Back in 2009, HS2 sounded like a dream. £32.7 billion? London to Birmingham by 2026? Manchester and Leeds by 2033? Easy. They sold it as this game-changing thing—faster trains, less crowding, a proper economic boost for the North. Honestly, it sounded too good to be true. Spoiler: it was.
History of Delays
And then reality hit. Protests, legal battles, endless planning meetings—you name it, HS2 faced it. Phase 1 got pushed to 2028, then 2031, now maybe 2033? Phase 2’s basically a ghost at this point—some bits might not happen till after 2040. Let that sink in. We’re talking about a project that was supposed to be done before some of today’s uni students hit middle age.
Budget Increases
Oh, and the costs? Absolute madness. 2015: £55.7 billion. 2019: £88 billion. Now? Over £100 billion and counting. That’s triple the original price. Why? Pick your poison—inflation, landowners fighting back, last-minute route changes. It’s like watching someone set money on fire in slow motion.
Government Admits Further Setbacks
Heidi Alexander’s statement to Parliament was bleak—no sugarcoating this one. The northern bit’s delayed again because of “unforeseen complexities” (read: nobody planned properly). London to Birmingham alone could cost £50 billion now, and Manchester? Who knows when that’ll happen. If ever.
Political Blame Game: Who’s Responsible?
Heidi Alexander’s Accusations
Alexander—Labour’s transport chief—went straight for the jugular: “The Tories left this project bleeding out.” She’s blaming Cameron and May’s governments for dodging tough calls. Not wrong, but also not the full story.
Conservative Response
Tories fired back fast. Grant Shapps called it “rewriting history”—says Labour’s Brexit trade mess made supply issues worse. Classic political ping-pong. Meanwhile, the rest of us just watch our taxes vanish into this black hole.
Public and Expert Opinions
Industry folks are split. One rail exec (who didn’t want their name used) told me: “This is how you ruin a megaproject 101.” Public opinion? 62% think it’s a waste now. Can’t blame them—would you pay £400 per household for something that might never work?
Impact of HS2’s Troubles
Economic Consequences
Northern cities got played. Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham’s furious: “They promised us jobs, growth. We got dirt piles and half-built bridges.” And taxpayers? Stuck footing the bill for what feels like a national prank.
Environmental Concerns
Green groups are livid. Ancient woods chopped down for tracks that might not see a train for decades. That’s the thing—even if HS2 finishes, was it worth wrecking all that nature? Hard sell.
What’s Next for HS2?
Now people are screaming for reviews, or just killing it entirely. Some MPs want to put the cash into fixing local trains instead. But here’s the kicker—we’ve already spent £25 billion. Can any politician actually admit defeat and walk away? Election’s coming, so expect more empty promises. Labour says they’ll “fix it.” Tories are being vague. Surprise.
Conclusion
HS2’s not just about trains anymore. It’s about how governments screw up big projects, waste insane money, then fight over who messed up worse. Whether it limps to the finish or gets scrapped, one thing’s clear—we deserve better. So what do you think? Keep throwing good money after bad, or cut our losses? Hit me with your thoughts below.
Source: Financial Times – Companies