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HS2 goes £87 million over its budget for consultants

The HS2 project has already gone £87 million over its budget for consultants after spending rocketed by 86 per cent, new figures reveal.

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The £101million budget has been overshot on four sets of contracts - sparking anger from campaigners.

The spending by HS2 Ltd included £90?million on civil engineering contracts, compared with a budget of £59?million; £79?million on environmental services against a budget of £31.5?million; £12.8?million on railway systems versus £8? million budgeted; and £6.5?million on land references, against a £3.1? million budget.

HS2 bosses have not disputed the figures, which are for phase one of the line between Birmingham and London.

But they insist the project as a whole is being delivered within budget.

The biggest overspend on consultancy work was for environmental impact assessments on the section of proposed line between Warwickshire and Staffordshire, where residents are battling the plans amid fears swathes of countryside will be lost.

Records show that Atkins was paid £20.2?million for its work – almost four times the budgeted £5.5?million.

In November it was revealed that HS2 Ltd had overspent on its civil engineering contracts by £11million.

But since then the cost of civil engineering has risen a further £20million to £90million, 53 per cent above the original stated budget of £59million.

The figures have led to accusations that the project is getting 'out of control'.

Stop HS2 Campaign Manager Joe Rukin said: "Despite empty promises from Government that HS2 could be delivered on time and on budget, HS2 Ltd have completely failed to exercise any budgetary control. What we have seen over the years is consultancy firms getting away with it and running their own gravy train, with not one even coming close to their budget.

"The implications for the final cost of the project are truly titanic, as these overspent budgets are for millions of pounds on preliminary work, not billions of pounds on construction."

A majority of MPs backed the Hybrid Bill for the first phase of the project in a Commons vote last month. Petitions against the project are now being submitted before the final wording of the legislation is approved.

HS2 Ltd spokesman Ben Ruse said: "In terms of this financial year, we are on course to remain within the allocated budget, as we did in 2012/2013."

He added: "The preparation and deposit of the Hybrid Bill was clearly an area where we have procured professional contractors' services to produce a scheme that has an unwavering approach to environmental mitigation, with the correct balance of engineering design."

It comes as a court ruling is expected to be made within weeks on whether secret train passenger numbers held by the Government are published.

Campaigners argue the data – which shows how many passengers use trains – will prove HS2 is not needed.

They have challenged a decision not to publish the figures made by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

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