When High Speed 2 (HS2) was first announced by the UK government in 2010, it promised to revolutionize national rail travel. Its backers claim it will offer quicker journeys that are better for the environment. HS2 claims it will be net-zero by 2035.

The icing on the cake was a pledge to better connect northern England and Scotland with the capital London and surrounding areas that have traditionally been more affluent. Nearly 13 years later, the project has faced numerous delays and costs have ballooned from an initial outlay of around $40 billion in 2012, to over $130 billion at its latest estimate in 2020.

Work on Phase 1 of the scheme - which will connect London and Birmingham - has already started, with completion expected between 2029 and 2033.

READ MORE 

Shaolin shines at Madrid's Chinese New Year

Belgrade to Budapest in 3.5 hours by rail

The Secret Betrayal: China's WWII sailors

But for thousands of people whose homes are near the route for HS2, Europe's largest infrastructure project, it has meant severe disruption and disturbance to their lives. Brian Adams is a member of a local residents' group in Ickenham - a London suburb. He says the area has been transformed since HS2 works began in recent years.

"Almost everyday, I have emails from residents who are really upset with what's going on, with the noise, with the traffic, with the constant lights being left on at building sites, causing all sorts of pollution," Adams said.

A report published last October found it was unlikely the $49 billion budget for the first section of the line would be kept to. There have also been recent stories in the UK media saying rising inflation and construction costs meant trains would not terminate in the middle of London. 

It has also been reported that a two to five-year delay to the entire project was being considered.

Jim O'Neill, economist and former UK treasury minister said "I think technologically and technically it's very ambitious for a country as old as ours in terms of historic infrastructure. They'll have to build whole new lines to get it in and out of central London."

"Secondly, even the original cost was questioned by many people who thought there could be better infrastructure projects for the broader benefit of more aspects of the UK's economic and productivity performance than just a train that gets people from London to various parts of the north and back even faster than it does now," added O'Neill.

"And then thirdly, it's in the middle of the extremely complicated political environment that the UK has had since Brexit and … it's dominated all the headlines and it's just kind of ridiculous."

Despite all these concerns, it would seem the UK government is determined to continue going full steam ahead with HS2. 

UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt insisted recently the government was "absolutely committed to showing that we can deliver big important infrastructure projects." He added the rail line would go all the way to London Euston. 

Cover image: Toby Melville/Reuters