Former transport secretary Alistair Darling has written an article in the Times criticising the HS2 railway programme.

Mr Darling was the person who originally approved the first stage of the scheme. The main reason for the change in opinion appears to be financial.

He said: "There are better ways to spend £50 billion than on one line."

The news comes after a report by the Institute for Economic Affairs that lobbying could add £30 billion in costs, bringing the total closer to £80 billion.

In his article, Mr Darling acknowledges a rise in costs, stating the increases since 2010 have led the former transport secretary to change his opinion on HS2.

He also believes the scheme is draining money away from other potential sources, such as rail projects and transport infrastructure.

Work on HS2 is scheduled to start in 2017, with early completion dates for the London to Birmingham connections for 2026, and Manchester and Leeds by 2032.