HS2 line overbudget already and not a sleeper yet laid....

HS2, the controversial new rail line is exceeding itself in every way.  Latest spends are for consultancies only.  By the end of February this year (2014), a total of £188 million had been spent on contracts for consultants ..... this exceeds the budget by 86% - and that budget was originally £101 million.

Don't all answer at once, but I fail to see how it can cost £188 million to "consult".  If I was an engineer, and someone asked me to cost out the total of (say) bridgebuilding for this scheme, even if I had to employ specialist bridgebuilders to give me a cost, I would not expect to have to work any longer than a couple of months on supplying a price - and even if I had a team of ten working for me - it just would not cost millions.  And yet, looking closely at the figures, every group of experts, or "consultants", as they are now referred to, pick a juicy price, and we pay it! 

About 12 years ago, I did 4 months consultancy work. It doesn't matter what the work was, but I was the only person at that time who had the knowledge necessary to produce a guide for others to use.  I probably earned £4,000 total.  Even if I had a team of 10 working for me (I didn't!) I make that total £44,000 including me for four months intensive work.   

I'M JUST SAYING..........