HS2: Extend first phase to Crewe, says Sir David Higgins

Speeding up the building of Britain's new proposed high speed rail link will cut costs and bring benefits to the North of England sooner, according to HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins.

When plans for the service were first unveiled it was announced it would cost an estimated £32.7bn in today's prices but last year it was revealed that contingency plans to minimise the noise and impact on the environment had pushed the cost up to £42.6bn.

On top of that, the price of the trains that will run on the line is predicted to be £7.5bn, bringing the total cost to just over £50bn.

Critics say it is a price we simply cannot afford to pay.

Sir David said he would recommend the first phase of HS2 being extended to Crewe instead of Birmingham.