YEP readers react to news that HS2, which would run from London to Leeds, could cost as much as £106bn

An inquiry led by former HS2 Ltd chairman Doug Oakervee reportedly found there is "considerable risk" that the high-speed rail project's cost will rise by up to 20% beyond the £81 billion to £88 billion range set out in a report by current HS2 chairman Allan Cook just four months ago.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to decide within weeks whether to go ahead with construction on the first phase of the scheme.

Here's what you said about the scheme in general, as well as the leaked report.

Beverley Golesworthy said: "Scrap it, complete waste of money."

Lesley Williams said: "We do need to move forward but how is getting to London 15 minutes quicker helping? How many people in the North need to travel to London regularly, the current service is adequate! Invest in the train lines to connect Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester! Sort the roads out too. The destruction it would cause to local villages and green areas on top of the obscene amount of money makes it a no brainer. London is not the be all and end all. I would argue it’s already quicker to get there than Manchester with the current state of the trains and delays!

Luke Senior added: "By the time it is built hardly anyone will commute from the north to London anyway, everything will be done remotely by the successor to Skype. Get rid."

Gary Suggitt agreed, saying: "When are they going to realise we don’t want it and how much land, trees and nature are we going to lose?"

Colin Senior added: "Complete waste of money and people’s houses and green belt -for what? Saving 20 minutes on travel time. They can’t run the trains we have already, spend some of this money improving the ones we have."

Jason Logan argued that the decision on whether to go ahead or not would be prejudiced because the scheme was in the north. He said: "Does this mean they’re going to scrap Crossrail in London as this won’t be up and running ‘til 2021 and is over budget? Funny - no-one bats an eyelid when they spend billions in London and the South East, but outside of London it’s a different story. Why do we bother paying taxes in the north of England?"

Others thought the money could be put to better use.

Dave Hall said: "We could use that money to bring back closed lines into service and rebuild closed hub stations like Marsh Lane. There are loads of lines that are begging to be re-opened and they would instantly make a profit too. So why waste money on something like this?"

Mike Hodgson agreed, saying: "Just think how much benefit the WHOLE of the rail network would have if that money was available to the entire system, not just HS2."

What do you think? Email [email protected]