DfT must end HS2 uncertainty amid "volatile" cost estimates, says Public Accounts Committee

The Government must act given cost estimates for phase 2 of the HS2 high speed rail scheme to northern England are "volatile and currently exceed available funding by £7bn," is the conclusion of the Public Accounts Committee.

The MPs were unconvinced that proposed savings of £9bn could be made by HS2 Ltd "without adversely affecting the benefits of the programme" and highlighted the "significant uncertainty" over the project given HS2 Ltd's recent recommendation to the DfT to move the planned South Yorkshire HS2 station from Meadowhall to Sheffield Midland station.

In a scathing report, they also asked for clarity on when the first phase of HS2 will open. Chair Meg Hillier said: "The Government has promised significant benefits to taxpayers in return for their investment in HS2. Despite this, we are still in the dark about crucial details - when the railway will open, how much it is expected to cost and precisely where it will go."

She said that the departure of HS2 Ltd chief executive Simon Kirby "adds to the uncertainty enveloping a project on which strong and stable leadership is vital".