Why is the UK so bad at high speed rail? | BBC Newscast

Today, its been revealed HS2 could cost up to £102.7bn and trains will be slower than first planned. It has been revealed trains will not start running until between 2036 and 2039, up to six years later than the most recent official target of 2033. As of March 2026, £44.2bn has already been spent on the programme. Adam and Faisal discuss how we have got to this point. And, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed that up to 57 individuals and 20 companies could face criminal charges over the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. They say they will submit evidence files to the Crown Prosecution Service who will then make a final decision on whether to prosecute with any trials unlikely to take place before 2029, ten years after the disaster took place. Adam is joined by correspondent Tom Symonds to discuss why the process has taken so long. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news #BBCNews #UKPolitics #uk 00:00 HS2 delays and rising costs 03:25 Why is HS2 so over budget? 06:50 Early construction mistakes 10:15 The shrinking HS2 vision 13:40 Slower trains & design contradictions 17:05 International comparisons & UK infrastructure challenges 20:30 Grenfell Tower: new developments 23:55 Why has the investigation taken so long?