The government is renegotiating major HS2 contracts in an effort to reduce the cost of the high-speed rail project. The move matters because HS2 has faced persistent concerns over affordability, delays and the value delivered by remaining sections of the scheme.

The article text provided does not include further reporting beyond the headline, so specific contract terms, savings targets and affected suppliers cannot be confirmed. HS2 was originally planned to link London, the Midlands and northern England, but significant parts of the route have already been scaled back.