Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told MPs that the high‑speed rail link will not open until between May 2036 and October 2039,and trains will be limited to 320km/h instead of the originally promised 360km/h. The project’s price tag has exploded to an estimated £87.7‑£102.7 billion in 2025 prices, far exceeding the original £32.7 billion forecast.

Cost surge to £102.7 billion eclipses Artemis moon mission budget

According to the latest figures disclosed to the House of Commons, HS2’s revised cost range now tops £100 billion , making it more expensive than NASA’s Artemis programme, which has cost roughly £69 billion (US$93 billion) to date. The escalation is attributed to “past misunderstanding of the work required, underestimation and inefficiency,” as Alexander explained, pointing to missteps by HS2 Ltd, its suppliers, and earlier governments.

Top speed reduced to 320km/h, still among Europe’s fastest

Alexander announced that the maximum operating speed will be capped at 320km/h (199 mph), down from the planned 360km/h (224 mph). She emphasized that, despite the reduction,the services will remain “among the fastest trains in Europe.” The decision was presented as a cost‑saving measure after a review identified “gold plating” and the pursuit of the highest possible speedds as key contributors to overruns.

Opening dates pushed back: London‑Birmingham service 2036‑2039 , full line 2040‑2043

The revised timetable sets the first segment between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham’s Curzon Street to start between May 2036 and October 2039.. The later phase linking central London’s Euston to Handsacre Junction in Staffordshire will not run until between May 2040 and December 2043, when trains will merge onto the conventional West Coast Mainline.

Who will decide HS2’s fate after £40 billion already spent?

Labour ministers have commissioned an internal review to compare the value of completing the scheme against scrapping it entirely. The review notes that abandoning HS2, which has already absorbed about £40 billion, would cost at least as much as finishing the project, leaving policymakers with a difficult cost‑benefit dilemma.

What remains unclear about HS2’s long‑term viability?

Key unknowns include whether the reduced speed will affect projected passenger numbers, how the revised cost will impact the UK’s overall transport budget, and if further route cuts will be considered to contain spending. The report did not provide detailed passenger forecasts under the new speed limit, and no timeline was given for a final decision on the western leg to Manchester and Leeds.