Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the cost of building each stage of the HS2 railway.
As set out in the latest 6-monthly Parliamentary report published in March 2021, the total estimated cost ranges for each Phase is as follows:
Phase One: £35bn - £45bn
Phase 2a: £5bn – £7bn
Phase 2b: £32bn – £46bn*
The numbers include contingency to accommodate unforeseeable cost pressures which may emerge during construction, as is to be expected with all major infrastructure projects.
*Validation of the Phase 2b cost range is ongoing and will be updated to support the bringing forward of separate legislation for the HS2 route into Manchester, in line with the conclusions of the Oakervee Review. The range provided excludes scope intended to be funded by other sources such as Northern Powerhouse Rail.