Last week’s poll: reducing the cost of HS2

In last week’s poll, we asked readers what they thought would be the most effective method to reduce the cost of HS2 – currently projected at some £88 billion – while still retaining the most important advantages of the project.

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Further reading

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With a resounding 45 per cent of the vote, scrapping the entire project was by far and away the most popular option. A quarter of respondents felt that the best option was to only build the Northern Powerhouse part of the line, providing a much-needed boost to a part of the country's rail infrastructure that many feel has been neglected.

Just 8 per cent backed the idea of a cheaper London terminus at Old Oak Common, a policy that is perhaps the most likely outcome once the dust settles on the HS2 review. This was closely followed (7%) by reducing the overall speed of the service in an effort to curb costs. An unusually high number of readers (15%) chose the 'none of the above' option, perhaps reflecting the complexity of the issue and the mess the project has found itself in.