Scrapping the HS2 northern leg could cost £100m

The cancellation of Phase 2 of HS2 to Manchester could cost £100m and take three years to complete. Estimates by HS2 Ltd have emerged in the latest update report on the high speed line from the National Audit Office (NAO). The northern leg of HS2 was scrapped by Rishi Sunak last October.

The NAO report maintained that although there has been no major construction work so far, some enabling works, including investigative boreholes and utility diversions had started. HS2 Ltd has an obligation to maintain and then reinstate land to its original state. 

The report also suggested that HS2 has spent £592m buying up land and around 1000 properties will no longer be needed. Disposing of the land and property, the report said, “will take several years and that the Department for Transport (DfT) is in the process of establishing a strategy to achieve value for money from the disposals.”