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View offers Hi {{fullName}} * My Independent Premium * Account details * Help centre * Logout (BUTTON) News > UK > Home News HS2 'will be most expensive railway on Earth at £403m a mile' First 6.6 miles from Euston to Old Oak Common could cost more than £8bn * Lucy Pasha-Robinson @lucypasha * Sunday 16 July 2017 11:39 {{^moreThanTen}} * {{total}} comments {{/moreThanTen}} * HS2’s first phase between London and Birmingham will cost almost £48bn ( PA ) Britain’s new high-speed rail line will be the most expensive railway in the world with costs per mile expected to reach £403m, according to Government calculations. The HS2’s first phase between London and Birmingham will cost almost £48bn, according to expert analysis commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT). Michael Byng, who created the method used by Network Rail to cost its projects, made the estimates for DfT and said the line would cost double the official figure and 15 times more than the cost per mile of the TGV in France, according to the Sunday Times. Download the new Indpendent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines (BUTTON) Download now Read more * Philip Hammond gets cost of HS2 wrong by £20bn * Major engineering firm pulls out of £170m HS2 contract * HS2 will bypass key towns and cities * HS2 won't improve Government's poor record on infrastructure The scheme could cost up to £104bn in total, including extensions to Manchester and Leeds, he believes. The first 6.6 miles from Euston to Old Oak Common would cost £8.25bn, or £1.25bn a mile. The senior civil servant responsible for the project reportedly told Mr Byng he was “very worried” the official costs could be unrealistic. Former transport minister John Spellar said the controversial project was an “ever-deepening bottomless pit”. “HS2 has not questioned the figure, or my methodology, nor have they come up with any structured estimate of their own,” Mr Byng told the Sunday Times. “A couple of days later I got a call from the DfT saying ‘Look, if 6.6 miles is going to cost us £8.25bn, what chance have we got of getting to Birmingham?’ I said: ‘I’ll work it out for you.’ “Michael Hurn, the project sponsor at the DfT, is a very good guy and is very worried at the advice he’s been given [by HS2]. The big contractors are also worried. They’ve said when they submit a bid it’s nowhere near [as low as] the estimates that HS2 have got for the job.” HS2 said it “did not recognise” Mr Byng’s figure and was “confident we will deliver the project on time and on budget”. Independent news email Only the best news in your inbox ____________________ Enter your email address (BUTTON) Continue (BUTTON) Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email already exists. Log in to update your newsletter preferences Register with your social account or click here to log in receiveIndyHeadlines [ ] I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email Update newsletter preferences The DfT said: “We are keeping a tough grip on costs and the project is on time and on budget.” Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures Show all 50 Created with Sketch. Created with Sketch. (BUTTON) Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures 1/50 4 January 2020 Metropolitan police cordon off Charteris Road close to the junction with Lennox Road in Finsbury Park in north London, after a man was stabbed to death on Friday evening, the first murder in London in 2020 PA 2/50 3 January 2020 Protesters, holding a photograph of the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Massoud Rajavi, outside Downing Street in London after the US killed General Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad's international airport. Soleimani was head of Tehran's elite Quds Force and Iran's top general PA 3/50 2 January 2020 A keeper counts squirrel-monkeys at London Zoo during the annual stocktake. Caring for more than 500 different species, ZSL London Zoo's keepers face the challenging task of tallying up every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate at the Zoo AP 4/50 1 January 2020 Peter Wright celebrates winning with the Sid Waddell trophy at the Darts World Championships in London. He stunned Michael van Gerwen to clinch his first title 7-3 PA 5/50 31 December 2019 Surfers at Tynemouth on the north east coast PA 6/50 30 December 2019 Deer graze in the morning mist as cyclists ride by in Richmond Park, London Reuters 7/50 29 December 2019 Night sky after the sunset at Whitley Bay in Northumberland PA 8/50 28 December 2019 The Harlequins players arrive at the stadium prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Big Game 12 match between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at Twickenahm Stadium Getty Images for Harlequins 9/50 27 December 2019 A car drives through floodwater near Harbridge, north of Ringwood in Hampshire, after the river Avon burst its banks PA 10/50 26 December 2019 Participants in the Old Surrey and West Kent Boxing Day Hunt in Chiddingstone. Hunting with horses and hounds is a Boxing Day tradition. 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Britain will go to the polls tomorrow to vote AFP via Getty 26/50 10 December 2019 A surfer off the North East coast at Tynemouth PA 27/50 9 December 2019 Leah Rossiter (left) and Ceara Carney, dressed as mermaids, join members of the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion Ireland protesting outside Leinster House in Dublin, against overfishing in Irish Waters PA 28/50 8 December 2019 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn poses for selfies with supporters at a general election rally in Colwyn Bay, north Wales AFP via Getty 29/50 7 December 2019 Speedo Mick outside the stadium before the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park Action Images via Reuters 30/50 6 December 2019 A climate activist wearing a mask and holding a placard reading 'Fossil fuel era is over' outside Millbank Studios in London AP 31/50 5 December 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with the SNP campaign bus in front of the Queensferry Crossing, while on the General Election campaign trail in Scotland PA 32/50 4 December 2019 The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which is given every year by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the Second World War PA 33/50 3 December 2019 Protesters against the visit of US President Trump during a demonstration near Buckingham Palace on the first day of the Nato Summit in London EPA 34/50 2 December 2019 England captain Joe Root celebrates reaching his double century during day 4 of the second Test match against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand Getty 35/50 1 December 2019 A hard frost is seen on the first day of the meteorological winter in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters 36/50 30 November 2019 A police officer looks at flowers left at London Bridge in central London, after a terrorist wearing a fake suicide vest who went on a knife rampage killing two people, and was shot dead by police PA 37/50 29 November 2019 School children and students take part in the Youth Strike for Climate in London as part of the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike Angela Christofilou/The Independent 38/50 28 November 2019 Cyclists make their way up a tree lined hill near to Moor Crichel in Dorset. 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Soleimani was head of Tehran's elite Quds Force and Iran's top general PA 3/50 2 January 2020 A keeper counts squirrel-monkeys at London Zoo during the annual stocktake. Caring for more than 500 different species, ZSL London Zoo's keepers face the challenging task of tallying up every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate at the Zoo AP 4/50 1 January 2020 Peter Wright celebrates winning with the Sid Waddell trophy at the Darts World Championships in London. He stunned Michael van Gerwen to clinch his first title 7-3 PA 5/50 31 December 2019 Surfers at Tynemouth on the north east coast PA 6/50 30 December 2019 Deer graze in the morning mist as cyclists ride by in Richmond Park, London Reuters 7/50 29 December 2019 Night sky after the sunset at Whitley Bay in Northumberland PA 8/50 28 December 2019 The Harlequins players arrive at the stadium prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Big Game 12 match between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at Twickenahm Stadium Getty Images for Harlequins 9/50 27 December 2019 A car drives through floodwater near Harbridge, north of Ringwood in Hampshire, after the river Avon burst its banks PA 10/50 26 December 2019 Participants in the Old Surrey and West Kent Boxing Day Hunt in Chiddingstone. Hunting with horses and hounds is a Boxing Day tradition. Since the fox hunting ban in 2004, modified hunts take place using scented trails for the animals to follow EPA 11/50 25 December 2019 Swimmers of the Serpentine Swimming Club take part in the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day at the Serpentine, in central London PA 12/50 24 December 2019 Shoppers bid for cuts of meat during a Christmas Eve auction in Smithfield market in London EPA 13/50 23 December 2019 Reggie the dog is rescued with a boat from flooding at the Little Venice Country Park and Marina in Maidstone AFP via Getty 14/50 22 December 2019 People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to mark the winter solstice, and to witness the sunrise after the longest night of the year PA 15/50 21 December 2019 Southampton's Jack Stephens scores their second goal against Aston Villa Reuters 16/50 20 December 2019 The coffin arrives for the funeral of London Bridge terror attack victim Jack Merritt at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge PA 17/50 19 December 2019 Queen Elizabeth II and her son Prince Charles walk behind the Imperial State Crown as they proccess through the Royal Gallery, before the Queen's Speech, during the State Opening of Parliament AFP via Getty 18/50 18 December 2019 Luke Jerram's art installation 'Gaia', a replica of planet earth created using detailed Nasa imagery of the Earth's surface, hangs on display at the Eden Project in St Austell, Cornwall PA 19/50 17 December 2019 A surfer gets into the festive spirit at the inland surfing lagoon at The Wave, near Bristol PA 20/50 16 December 2019 Snowy conditions near Deepdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park as snow hits parts of the UK PA 21/50 15 December 2019 Oisin Carson, 5, picks a Christmas tree at Wicklow Way Christmas tree farm in Roundwood PA 22/50 14 December 2019 First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie as she joins the SNPs newly elected MPs for a group photo outside the V&A Museum in Dundee, Scotland Getty Images 23/50 13 December 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arrive back at Downing Street after the results for the general election were announced. The Conservative Party won with an overall majority EPA 24/50 12 December 2019 A dog outside a polling station during the general election in Northumberland Reuters 25/50 11 December 2019 Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson stands between a Stop Brexit sign as she attends a general election campaign event at Esher Rugby Club, south west London. Britain will go to the polls tomorrow to vote AFP via Getty 26/50 10 December 2019 A surfer off the North East coast at Tynemouth PA 27/50 9 December 2019 Leah Rossiter (left) and Ceara Carney, dressed as mermaids, join members of the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion Ireland protesting outside Leinster House in Dublin, against overfishing in Irish Waters PA 28/50 8 December 2019 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn poses for selfies with supporters at a general election rally in Colwyn Bay, north Wales AFP via Getty 29/50 7 December 2019 Speedo Mick outside the stadium before the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park Action Images via Reuters 30/50 6 December 2019 A climate activist wearing a mask and holding a placard reading 'Fossil fuel era is over' outside Millbank Studios in London AP 31/50 5 December 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with the SNP campaign bus in front of the Queensferry Crossing, while on the General Election campaign trail in Scotland PA 32/50 4 December 2019 The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which is given every year by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the Second World War PA 33/50 3 December 2019 Protesters against the visit of US President Trump during a demonstration near Buckingham Palace on the first day of the Nato Summit in London EPA 34/50 2 December 2019 England captain Joe Root celebrates reaching his double century during day 4 of the second Test match against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand Getty 35/50 1 December 2019 A hard frost is seen on the first day of the meteorological winter in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters 36/50 30 November 2019 A police officer looks at flowers left at London Bridge in central London, after a terrorist wearing a fake suicide vest who went on a knife rampage killing two people, and was shot dead by police PA 37/50 29 November 2019 School children and students take part in the Youth Strike for Climate in London as part of the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike Angela Christofilou/The Independent 38/50 28 November 2019 Cyclists make their way up a tree lined hill near to Moor Crichel in Dorset. November's dismal weather will finally change, with drier and colder conditions coming for the start of December, forecasters have said PA 39/50 27 November 2019 The moment a swan flew over a flock of 60,000 starlings as dusk fell on Whixall Moss Nature Reserve in Shropshire Andrew Fusek Peters / SWNS 40/50 26 November 2019 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon plays with local children during a visit to the Jelly Tots & Cookies Play Cafe in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire PA 41/50 25 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with sheep as he visits the Royal Welsh Showground, in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, whilst on the General Election campaign trail PA 42/50 24 November 2019 Cush Jumbo attends the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards at London Coliseum Getty Images 43/50 23 November 2019 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets a supporter on a train on his return from a visit to Sheffield PA 44/50 22 November 2019 Gallery assistants adjust 'The Ancient Town of Uglich' by Konstantin Yuon, 1913, estimated at £600,000 to £800,000, during a press preview of the sale of works by some of the most pre-eminent creators of Russian art at Sotheby's in London PA 45/50 21 November 2019 A mother seal appears to hug her pup as grey seals return to Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late autumn and winter to give birth PA 46/50 20 November 2019 After Mauricio Pochettino's sacking the eveninfg before newly appointed Tottenham head coach, Jose Mourinho, takes his first training session in charge Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty 47/50 19 November 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Jimmy Egan's Boxing Academy at Wythenshawe, while on the campaign trail ahead of the General Election PA 48/50 18 November 2019 Mist over Buttermere lake in the Lake District PA 49/50 17 November 2019 Stefanos Tsitsipas lifts the winners trophy after beating Dominic Thiem at the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London EPA 50/50 16 November 2019 Duke of York, speaking for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis BBC/PA It comes after Chancellor Philip Hammond got the cost wrong by at least £20bn in a radio interview. Mr Hammond said HS2 will cost the taxpayer £32bn, when in fact it is expected to cost more than £52bn. The Chancellor had been attacking Labour's policy costings, which he claimed “don't add up”, when he made the ironic gaffe. The project has also been mired in delays and complications. The engineering firm that was handed the multimillion-pound contract to develop HS2 pulled out of the project less than two months after it was selected to complete the work. The Government confirmed on 9 February that it had appointed US-based company CH2M to help develop a section of the network north of Crewe to Manchester and from the West Midlands to Yorkshire. But in March, CH2M said it had decided to withdraw its interest, following what it called “continuing discussions” between HS2 and CH2M over the award of the contract. 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