HS2: Protests add £75m to its soaring bill

HS2 protesters have cost taxpayers around £75million, the project’s chief said yesterday.

MPs were told 300 people had been arrested over protests against the high-speed rail line, leading to nine prosecutions.

Mark Thurston, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, said the demonstrators had become ‘increasingly violent and disruptive’.

He said he recognised people had ‘every right to peacefully protest’. But giving evidence to the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee, Mr Thurston added: ‘The action we’re seeing is anything but lawful.’

In 2015, HS2 was due to cost £56billion. But last year a leaked review suggested the total could reach £106billion.