While the cost and scope of High Speed 2 are currently the subject of separate reviews by the Cabinet Secretary, the Treasury and the National Audit Office, media reports are considered to be exaggerating concerns, according to HS2 insiders. All three reviews are seeking to answer the questions 'is there potential to reduce the scope, is it too ambitious and are the unit costs sharp enough?', RBI was told. With an initial batch of contracts worth £10bn due to be placed later this year, the current agenda is focused on determining whether any aspects of the project could be delivered at a lower cost. Although Phase 1 from London to the West Midlands is unlikely to see cuts, the Treasury is known to be interested in possible savings from the two arms of the T-shaped route for Phase 2, and particularly connections with the conventional network at Leeds.
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