Go-ahead for entire £100bn HS2 project

Go-ahead for entire £100bn HS2 project

The Government today will give the go-ahead for the whole of the HS2 project despite ballooning costs.  The whole project officially to cost £88bn, although some estimates put the likely cost at £106bn.

The decision ends months of agonising wait for the key contractors selected to deliver main civils works on England’s largest-ever infrastructure project.

It will comfirm the independent Oakervee Review recommended the project go-ahead in full.

Contractors will now begin to mobilise over coming weeks once main civils works contracts are signed off for the route from London to Birmingham.

Estimates for phase one civils are now more bolted down after rising 85% to £10.7bn.

While the whole line will be built, the government will seek a review of phase 2b, covering the Northern stretches of the route to try to control costs after latest unofficial estimates have put the final bill at £106bn, triple the original budget.

This review will apply to the Crewe to Manchester and Midlands to Leeds stretches.

Tenders for the more advanced phase 2a civils, which will see the line extended to Crewe from Birmingham, will be invited in 12 months time.

Written by Aaron Morby - Construction Enquirer