The previous government’s decision to reduce the size of HS2’s Euston station cost the taxpayer more than £150 million.

Last year, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the planned terminus for the high-speed line would have six platforms, down from the 10 originally planned.

In its latest annual report, HS2 said that it was no longer expected to gain the economic benefit from the design work already completed for the larger station.

This had resulted, the company said, of a £152.9 million loss to the taxpayer.

The decision to axe the sections of the line planned for north of Birmingham also cost more than £2 billion, the company added.

The disclosure comes amid fears that the line might be forced to end at Old Oak Common, instead of Euston.

Appearing on LBC yesterday (July 29), Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said the new government would have to be “some difficult decisions” on spending.

When asked about HS2, he described the current state of the project as a “mess”.

McFadden said: “This is a project that’s had one limb after another chopped from its original vision.

“Like everything else we’ve inherited, we’ve got to respond to the situation on that bequeathed to us.”

But there was no mention of scrapping the Euston leg of HS2 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday in the House of Commons, when she set out the “very tough decisions” she planned to make on public spending.

This included axing a planned road tunnel next to Stonehenge.

Rishi Sunak scrapped the second leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester last autumn, but said the line would stop at Euston, if enough private investment could be found.

Work to clear the area around the planned HS2 Euston station has already taken place.

Last year, former Camden Council leader Georgia Gould said that HS2 must deliver on its promises and provide “new homes, green spaces and opportunities” for Camden residents.

Gould, who is now an MP, added that the project “must not walk away and abandon” residents after leaving “a deep scar” in the community, including knocking down 200 homes.