The Transport Secretary has requested HS2 Ltd to explore options to simplify the construction and operation of the project in order to reduce delays and cut overall costs.
As part of his overall reset of the project; CEO Mark Wild has stated he will explore options related to the speed of the final, completed operation.
The project was initially aiming to achieve speeds of 360km/h – making it the fastest conventional rail network in the world
© HS2 Ltd
Initially, HS2 was commissioned to run at 360km/h, which would have made it the fastest high-speed conventional rail system in the world. However, as no railway in the world is engineered for this speed, HS2 would have to wait for specific tracks to be built before testing any trains – an approach which, according to the Government, could lead to an increase in costs and potential delays for the project.
The Government has also suggested that the reduction in speed would have ‘negligible’ impact on projected journey times, resulting in passengers getting onto trains sooner and bringing the project in line with previous high-speed models such as HS1, Japan’s bullet trains, and France’s TGV network – all of which run at 300-320km/h.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
This Government is determined to deliver HS2 as effectively and efficiently as possible. In doing so, I will look at every opportunity to claw back construction time, save taxpayers money and ensure the project delivers for the country.
I share the public’s anger about the waste and mess of the past which is why this Government is pulling HS2 out of its sclerosis and setting it on a more sensible course.
We’re getting a grip, controlling costs, and getting on with delivering the transport infrastructure this country needs.
Following an investigation into further opportunities to reduce both costs and delivery timelines; Mark Wild will report back to the Transport Secretary in the summer with a progress update.
Currently, roughly 30,000 workers and thousands of UK businesses are supporting the delivery of HS2. Over the last year, six construction milestones have been reached, including:
- Sliding a 14,500-tonne box structure – the heaviest of its kind in Europe – under the A46
- Completion of the assembly of the second of two tunnel boring machines at Old Oak Common, allowing the first machine to begin excavating the Euston Tunnel under London in January this year, with the second having started last week
- Northolt Tunnel – last of four tunnel boring machines lifted out of the ground at Green Park Way in West London after excavating an 8.4-mile long tunnel between West Ruislip and Old Oak Common, three months ahead of schedule
- Station Road – installation of beams to carry Station Road in central Buckinghamshire over HS2 and national rail overbridges (Calvert)
- Greatworth Tunnel – completion of fifth of nine 400-metre sections of what will become HS2’s longest green tunnel at 2.7km