Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed that HS2 has been delayed yet again – and the reaction on social media was predictably withering.
She told MPs there is “no route” to meet the target date of having it up and running by 2033, and refused to say when it might be.
“It’s an appalling mess, but it’s one we will sort out,” Alexander said.
“We need to set targets which we can confidently deliver, that the public can trust, and that will take time. But rest assured, where there are inefficiencies, we will root them out.”
HS2 was originally due to run between London and Birmingham, then on to Manchester and Leeds, but the project was severely curtailed by the previous Conservative government because of spiralling costs.
In 2013, it was estimated to cost £37.5 billion for the entire project, including the now-scrapped extensions from Birmingham.
But in June last year, the cost of building the line between London and Birmingham would be up to £66 billion.
Alexander said: “This government will get the job done between Birmingham and London.
“We won’t reinstate cancelled sections we can’t afford, but we will do the hard but necessary work to rebuild public trust.”
On X, the news was greeted with predictable anger.
