SIR – It is claimed that the HS2 rail project will now cost £80 billion.

Every few weeks, it seems, the cost doubles.

It appears nobody really knows how much it will cost.

The Government says it is committed to keeping the cost down – but it doesn’t saw how and governments do change.

There could be another Labour government, in which case, nobody would be surprised if the cost doubled again.

Would it be surprising if the Government was unable to tell us how much the HS2 project has cost the taxpayer already before a brick has been laid?

Committees, planners, architects, lawyers, etc, are already being employed.

How much before the starting date will the directors and the huge entourage be costing us before the first sod is cut?

They don’t even know the final cost of the Olympics.

The commitment is to building the white elephant at any cost.

DOUGLAS J WATHEN

Salford Priors