HS2 route changes to cost extra £580m
Changes to the HS2 route will cost £580 million, it has emerged – but bosses insist they will keep within their £50 billion budget.
It comes as bosses unveil plans including an extension to the Midland Metro and high speed buses as part of the £50bn project.
Building the line under the A38 Lichfield at a cost of £133m and moving the Heathrow Express depot to Iver, near Slough for £215m are also among the changes to the proposals.
Bosses say they are trying to absorb the extra expense into the estimated £50bn total costs. And they insist these new figures should not be viewed as 'extra costs' as there will be savings involved.
But campaigners say that figure itself is out of date anyway as it is based in 2011 prices.
It has been reported that the Government is recalculating the cost of HS2 based on prices as they would be in 2018, when construction would be likely to start if they project receives Royal Assent.
A £3.3bn vision for HS2 was revealed last week that would create 52,000 jobs.
Bosses want the Government to inject extra cash into the West Midlands and fund dozens of projects linked to the high-speed rail line.
It includes extending the Midland Metro from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill through Dudley town centre and providing super-fast electric bus services linking HS2 stations to the i54.
David Meechan, HS2 Ltd spokesman said: "The figures in the Estimate of Expense are not extra costs and are not being added to the budget.
But Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin said: "With the swish of a pen, nearly £600m has been added to the bill for HS2, with very few people seeing any benefits from the changes, and for many the scheme has got worse."
