HS2 could cost up to £102.7bn and may not open until 2039, transport secretary says
19 May 2026
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cz6e0vplgldt
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2l8kq52y8o
High Speed 2's early engineers proposed a vision of the future, making HS2 capable of running the fastest, most frequent trains in the world.
Sized up alongside the international alternatives, the plan was impressive: in France, high-speed trains run at 200 miles per hour; HS2 was to be built to withstand 250mph. In Japan, 12 trains run between Tokyo and Osaka every hour; HS2 would be capable of running 18 trains an hour going in and out of London Euston in that time. That's one every three minutes.