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HS2 has hit back at reports that the cost of the 拢106bn railway has risen again by nearly 拢1bn since March, with a spokesman for the project calling the claims 鈥渃ompletely wrong and misleading鈥�.

The Financial Times reported that sources close to the project had said that overall costs on the 拢44.6bn first phase of the line between London and Birmingham had gone up by a further 拢800m because of the impact of the pandemic.

It would mean that the total cost of HS2 had risen by a total of 拢1.7bn over the past year following the project鈥檚 announcement last October that it would be forced to shell out an extra 拢800m on asbestos remediation works at its Euston station terminus.

The figure includes 拢100m added to the cost of the Solihull Interchange station, which went out to tender earlier this month.

But an HS2 spokesperson said that the project does 鈥渘ot recognise鈥� the figures and that financial assessments on the response to covid-19 had not been made.

He added that any additional costs would be covered in a 拢5.6bn contingency fund included in the 拢40bn target cost for phase 1 set aside to manage risks and uncertainties which arise during construction. The overall budget of the London to Birmingham leg also includes a 拢4.3bn government contingency fund.

The spokesperson said: 鈥淚t would be completely wrong and misleading to say the project has requested extra funds or there is any increase on the overall budget.鈥�

A DfT spokesperson said: 鈥淥ur focus remains on controlling costs on HS2 to ensure this ambitious new railway delivers its wealth of benefits at value for money for the taxpayer.

鈥淭he response to covid-19 remains ongoing and final assessments of its effect have not been finalised.鈥�

The railway has also refuted that there have been price rises on the 拢370m Solihull Interchange station, which was originally budgeted at 拢270m when HS2鈥檚 notice to proceed was granted in March 2020.

The spokesperson said the original cost of the station had been based on 2019 prices and 鈥渆xcluded risk contingency and scope鈥�.

But he did not deny that further funds had been allocated from either HS2鈥檚 contingency or the government contingency since the project鈥檚 latest six-monthly report in March, telling 好色先生TV that any further significant cost rises would be confirmed in the next report.

Meanwhile, the project has been given the green light to create 127 hectares of new grasslands using chalk excavated from the line鈥檚 Chiltern tunnels.

The 鈥楥olne Valley Western Slopes鈥� project will see one of the project鈥檚 construction sites converted into one of the largest areas of chalk grasslands in the Chiltern hills.