Are HS2 costs spiralling out of control?

THE official proposed cost of HS2 is £55.7 billion, but some experts predict it will be closer to £100 billion. To get commuters to and from London and Birmingham 20 minutes quicker will require flattening 616 dwellings, 98 ancient woods will be affected and 30 river corridors will be sliced open. Goodness knows how the lives of hundreds of other citizens will be upset by a 200mph train hurtling past their homes. Imagine the world in 2033, when the second phase of HS2 is set to be completed. It is likely to be past its sell-by date by then. Skype and other innovations mean you can already have face-to- face meetings between people in different countries without them leaving their desks. If there was a referendum on HS2, this grand scheme would shudder to a halt. STAN GASTON, Rothesay, Isle of Bute. WE’RE the laughing stock of the railway world with HS2 based on overhead wires invented 130 years ago. They cost more to construct and maintain and can be affected by weather. We should follow Japan’s example with Maglev (magnetic levitation) trains, which were developed in Britain. PETER HASSALL, Shifnal, Shropshire. THE Scottish Parliament building was estimated at £40 million, but ended up costing £414 million; the NHS computer system cost £12.4 billion — more than five times the original estimate; and the London Olympics budget was £2.4 billion, but cost £9.3 billion. So, how much are we prepared to pay for the white elephant that is HS2?

BARRIE FROS, Filey, N. Yorks. FOR £60 billion we could have two Hinkley Point Cs and the Swansea tidal barrier. We need energy, not a slightly faster train line. PAUL RUANE, Leeds.