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Transport secretary Heidi Alexander<\/a> has confirmed that HS2<\/a> has been delayed yet again \u2013 and the reaction on social media was predictably withering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n She told MPs there is \u201cno route\u201d to meet the target date of having it up and running by 2033, and refused to say when it might be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an appalling mess, but it\u2019s one we will sort out,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe need to set targets which we can confidently deliver, that the public can trust, and that will take time. But rest assured, where there are inefficiencies, we will root them out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n HS2 was originally due<\/a> to run between London and Birmingham, then on to Manchester and Leeds, but the project was severely curtailed by the previous Conservative government because of spiralling costs.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n In 2013, it was estimated to cost \u00a337.5 billion for the entire project, including the now-scrapped extensions from Birmingham.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But in June last year, the cost of building the line between London and Birmingham would be up to \u00a366 billion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alexander said: \u201cThis government will get the job done between Birmingham and London.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t reinstate cancelled sections we can\u2019t afford, but we will do the hard but necessary work to rebuild public trust.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On X, the news was greeted with predictable anger.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n