The HS2 line is intended to link London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds
The budget for the HS2 railway has increased by nearly £10bn to more than £40bn, the transport minister has said.
Patrick McLoughlin told the Commons the new projected cost of £42.6bn, up from £33bn, would include a large "contingency" fund.
He said the final cost could be lower than the new estimate, but said revising the figure was "right".
Some Conservative MPs are expected to vote against the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill later.
The new high-speed railway line is intended to link London to Birmingham by 2026, with branches to Manchester and Leeds, via Sheffield, planned by 2032.
The first phase budget is now £21.4bn, with £21.2bn budgeted for phase two. These figures include a contingency fund of £12.7bn across the scheme.
Source: BBC News - Business http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23070506#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
