HS2 progress update August 2026

[Snow1964]

A new Mark Wild progress update video has been issued

He talks about reference condition as the reset basis

Mentions that 2 of the 4 civil engineering contracts have now been signed off as part of the reset

Suggests civil engineering (Old Oak - Curzon Street) should be substantially finished by 2029

Sounds like tracklaying and overhead etc. is now going to start as late as 2029

Also mentions apologies to nearby neighbours for the slowed construction schedule causing extended disruption.

Seems there is a backstop opening date (possibly agreed with Secretary of State) of 2037. Although sounds like delaying opening another decade is not really what is intended or what Mark Wild wants.

Perhaps I might be reading too much into the carefully selected words in the video. What do others think of timescale of when it might open based on wording chosen.

 

[snowball]

Seems very similar to what he said in his last appearance before the Commons transport select committee in May.

 

[hwl]

A new Mark Wild progress update video has been issued

He talks about reference condition as the reset basis

Mentions that 2 of the 4 civil engineering contracts have now been signed off as part of the reset

Suggests civil engineering (Old Oak - Curzon Street) should be substantially finished by 2029

Sounds like tracklaying and overhead etc. is now going to start as late as 2029

Also mentions apologies to nearby neighbours for the slowed construction schedule causing extended disruption.

Seems there is a backstop opening date (possibly agreed with Secretary of State) of 2037. Although sounds like delaying opening another decade is not really what is intended or what Mark Wild wants.

Perhaps I might be reading too much into the carefully selected words in the video. What do others think of timescale of when it might open based on wording chosen.

One of the key Crossrail learnings after Mark took over was not to give contractors deadlines as this just pushes the costs up massively, hence dates that give contractors "excuses" aren't being used.
Another Crossrail learning was that handover and acceptance at the end of civils can only occur at limited rate hence I suspect we'll see bite sized chunks of route (e.g. contract sub areas? of 3 - 20 km (the biggest sub-contact areas in one go still sound too big...)) signed off and handed over from 2027-2029 as they are completed. I'd expect the three stations and much of the civils north of the A45 to be the last to be handed over.
In terms of productivity the youtube videos this year show that headcount on sites is down quite a bit, work is more focussed (and less than headless chicken) with a lower average work rate. Some tasks are being left for quite a while (keep spend rate down) and an obvious long list of small snagging items being left till later (2027 etc).
Some section that are/were relatively well progressed are seeing slower progress with more recent focus progressing on the laggard structures in each area.

As an observation while there are lots of youtube video covering construction but the new drone flying rule and encounters with HS2 staff have reduce the number of people doing videos quite a bit in some areas e.g. there is only now one person doing videos of the huge more hidden sections in the EKFB C2G and southern end of G2S sub contract areas (in North Bucks, NE Oxfordshire and SW Northants) that were often quite a bit more progressed than other areas and probably would have been some of the first sections to hand over (north of the Chiltern Tunnel) but there are limited ways to check up on recent progress there.

The 2 Contracts renegotiated so far are the middle 2 (NW London - Long Itchington South Portal) where there is by far the least remaining civils spend left to do (unless the point was to defer the final construction and snagging at large flock of headless chickens pace? hence act quick or not at all?). The other 2 contracts have far more spend left but it will be another 6+months before those are ready to reset.

Curzon street is now requiring quite a lot of cash flow which will limit construction rates elsewhere.

 

[Geogregor]

Curzon street is now requiring quite a lot of cash flow which will limit construction rates elsewhere.

As is Old Oak Common, where works are actually time critical due to planned blockades (even if they were moved by a few years).

In general Mark Wild statements are just meaningless waffle. He is stalling while politicians decide annual funding envelope. Progress along the route in many places is not determined by technology or technical issues but by how much the treasury wants to spend each year.

Yes, they can cut annual spending but then the benefits will arrive later. But who cares what happens 5-10 years down the line? By then a lot of people will be doing something else. Some will get promoted (maybe even as a reward for "cost cutting"), some will retire, some politicians might move to the lords etc.

I just don't get how it is possible that building 220 km or so of a railway line, in rather easy landscape, can take better part of two decades. Even in our sclerotic planning regime it shouldn't take that long...

Just don't mention China, don't mention China, I promise, don't mention...

 

[Snow1964]

In general Mark Wild statements are just meaningless waffle. He is stalling while politicians decide annual funding envelope. Progress along the route in many places is not determined by technology or technical issues but by how much the treasury wants to spend each year.

It does rather feel as though the statements are carefully worded not to commit to any detail, or give any reason for delays.

It is also fairly obvious to anyone following the construction that many miles are almost mothballed or just ticking along, whereas other parts are powering ahead. Presumably the critical parts or where contracts for construction had already been placed are those moving ahead.

What he carefully doesn't say is that all the earthworks could have been finished by next summer, but some are effectively being deliberately delayed to save expenditure short term. I suspect it goes against his ideal to incur extra costs by dragging out a job, but he is paid very well to do that to keep politicians out of having to answer reasons.

 

[The Planner]

Just don't mention China, don't mention China, I promise, don't mention...

I don't get the China argument, we aren't China and if they were contracted to build it, why would they not have the same issues?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

It does rather feel as though the statements are carefully worded not to commit to any detail, or give any reason for delays.

It is also fairly obvious to anyone following the construction that many miles are almost mothballed or just ticking along, whereas other parts are powering ahead. Presumably the critical parts or where contracts for construction had already been placed are those moving ahead.

What he carefully doesn't say is that all the earthworks could have been finished by next summer, but some are effectively being deliberately delayed to save expenditure short term. I suspect it goes against his ideal to incur extra costs by dragging out a job, but he is paid very well to do that to keep politicians out of having to answer reasons.

Thing is their annual budget is Seven Billion Pounds even with our expensive construction costs that still gets you a lot of manhours and material but of course they will never disclose what its actually being spent on. Some of the railway system contracts were let years ago as was the rolling stock so I do wonder how much is being expended annually n contracts in delay.

But to hear that despite the great progress videos posted across this sub forum i find it flabbergasting that they still see opening as a decade away!!

 

[gingerheid]

Just don't mention China, don't mention China, I promise, don't mention...

We wouldn't want a Chinese railway though. We're not a country that would accept something with a percentage chance of not killing a lot of people somehwere random in the high 90s.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

We wouldn't want a Chinese railway though. We're not a country that would accept something with a percentage chance of not killing a lot of people somehwere random in the high 90s.

Of course not but concrete takes the same time cure wherever you pour it so we can clearly do better

 

[gingerheid]

Of course not but concrete takes the same time cure wherever you pour it so we can clearly do better

It's certainly mental to delay spending to spread it over a long period when it increases the period of time before you start to get a return on your investment