THE Government faced calls to review its commitment to a new high-speed rail line after "unrealistic estimates" of demand for the existing link between London and the Channel Tunnel in Kent cost taxpayers nearly £5 billion, MPs have found.
A report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee found the 68-mile HS1 line has so far cost £4.8bn in subsidies, largely as a result of planners not properly taking account of the boom in budget air travel or competition from ferries.
Please enable cookies in your browser to display the rest of this article.