HS2 Reset: Evidence to Transport Committee - 9 July 2025 "Total overspend on high-speed rail could be as much as 100%"

[erikvd28]

Is it already known when they will start with the Curzon No.2 Viaduct?
Bromford tunnel TBM should be done any day now.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's hard to know if this implies that the northern (BBV and EFKB) contracts are particularly "late" and "over budget", and so need renegotiation, with the southern contracts (Align and SCS) being closer to time and budget, so not needing the same attention.
Or is it that classic rail access at Calvert and Washwood Heath is critical to the rail installation phase so it needs to be accelerated?
No direct mention of the lack of progress on the WCML connection at Handsacre (though this is part of the BBV contract), which might also provide access for the railway systems.
Curious that train testing is now one of the priorities for the project reset.
Testing will also be necessary on the classic network, including under ETCS (so probably on the southern ECML).

 

[hwl]

Not sure if should start new thread, or continue this HS2 reset one.

Construction News has outlined that 2 of the main civil contracts will be prioritised (the Midlands ones), because need to test the trains. The Chilterns one is civil substantially complete. The London tunnels to Euston should start early next year and take around 18 months.

Seems there is a firebreak of about 9 months before starting on railway installation to allow for weather delays (but this might be reduced if progress is good.)

HS2 prioritises two civils contracts in reset negotiations

HS2 Ltd is prioritising the renegotiation of a pair of major civils contracts as part of a sweeping reset of the high-speed rail programme. Alan Morris,

www.constructionnews.co.uk

I have slightly different take - the article is about prioritising contracts for "renegotation and rebaselining" which not quite the same as reprioritising for completion... It is mainly and indicator of where thing have gone wrong on timescale and cost so far.
Prioritising contracts for "renegotation and rebaselining" has significant alignment with where progress has been underwhelming so far.

"Chiltern" AlignJV is so far progressed and closest to budget so no point in renegotiating.
"London" SCS JV not much value for renegotiation west of OOC hence the renegotiation value is just in OOC station and the OOC - Euston tunnel (doesn't need to be huge rush now i.e. slow and steady). They are slightly behind on timescale (but this doesn't matter much because other are very far behind) and not to much above on cost.
The two JVs north of Amersham are very behind on timescale and hugely above on cost - hence the article focus on the two naughty step contracts as politely as possible.

I'm glad to see the firewall/white space concept being opening talked about because this gives contractors less excuse to push cost up to meet artificial deadlines, if they over run then the fire break then there will be major cost issues for them.

It is also good to see a bit of a focus on prioritising drainage which should help prevent so many mudbath excuses for low productivity.

Many structure on the two northern JVs now seem to be progressing much better but many aren't. I suspect well will see lots completing in the next 18months but I suspect these JV may shove some of the problem structures into the renegotiated scope and finish the less problematic ones ASAP.

The key point is that they are aiming for civils finished by the end of 2029, but does than mean track laying, electrification and other rail contracts only start after the last civils completion or after a sufficiently large route section with suitable rail access has completed? Presumably the latter?

 

[nbdm]

North of Delta junction there is little progress, it seems to be kicked into the long grass.
No real construction has taken place except for the underbridges east of Lichfield for the WCML (completed 2023) and A38 (in progress), the bridge over the M42 north of Junction 9 (completed Christmas 2022) and the A5 being contra-flowed near Tamworth for close to 3 years - with no actual construction taking place.
There have also been a few minor road diversions along the way, but numerous proposed structures haven't even started utility diversions for example.

Is there any word on how they are actually going to rejoin the WCML at Handsacre?

 

[The Planner]

North of Delta junction there is little progress, it seems to be kicked into the long grass.
No real construction has taken place except for the underbridges east of Lichfield for the WCML (completed 2023) and A38 (in progress), the bridge over the M42 north of Junction 9 (completed Christmas 2022) and the A5 being contra-flowed near Tamworth for close to 3 years - with no actual construction taking place.
There have also been a few minor road diversions along the way, but numerous proposed structures haven't even started utility diversions for example.

Is there any word on how they are actually going to rejoin the WCML at Handsacre?

The junction etc at Handsacre is all agreed, its just at what point that any construction is expected to be programmed.

 

[gravitystorm]

Or is it that classic rail access at Calvert and Washwood Heath is critical to the rail installation phase so it needs to be accelerated?

There was an HS2 update video posted yesterday, about the stretch between Greatworth and Chipping Warden (in roughly the middle of the route). In the introduction they said "This is a crucial section of the route, situated almost halfway between the railway’s two Infrastructure maintenance depots, Calvert in Buckinghamshire and Washwood Heath in east Birmingham, on a section that will be a key test area during the railway's trial operations phase."

From that I would read that they've realised they can start doing trial operations in the middle bit between the depots, before either end of the route is completed. So that might be why they are prioritising these contracts, if they are now on the critical path to eventual opening into service. It sounds to me that's an alternative to doing the whole project stage by stage e.g. finish all civils, then lay all track, then start trial operations. Instead, the plan might be to finish all civils on the central stretch between the depots, lay track there and start high-speed testing, while the the other bits at either end are still under construction or track laying.

In committee evidence Lord Hendy said "we do not have a test facility for trains as fast as the ones that were planned" and so that's been on their minds as part of the reset.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

They will need the signalling system and all its related ingredients finished before testing can start.
That's all to be controlled from Washwood Heath I think.

 

[Snow1964]

They will need the signalling system and all its related ingredients finished before testing can start.
That's all to be controlled from Washwood Heath I think.

I thought they could be tested (performance, ride, braking etc) on the basis of one train in use (equivalent of old one engine in steam) without signalling.

My understanding is can test cab signalling on any ECTS equipped line, but can't do the 110% of max service speed test anywhere else in UK, unless got at least 50 miles of high speed track

 

[Nottingham59]

My understanding is can test cab signalling on any ECTS equipped line, but can't do the 110% of max service speed test anywhere else in UK, unless got at least 50 miles of high speed track

The HS2 train spec is to reach 360kph in 40km (strictly, within 535s), but "no residual acceleration at the maximum service speed of 360km/h is required". I'd be really surprised if the trains will be capable of ever reaching 10% over 360kph.

 

[officewalla]

.... And then what? Send everybody home?

HS1 and HS2 are being built for completely different reasons.


I really hope so. The parallels between HS2 and crossrail are evident (both poorly managed, late, expensive, capacity infrastructure projects) and people doubted CR could be rescued. Now it's a resounding success.

CR is in no small part successful because TOCs have been removed from the ability to move passengers. Those people still need to get to work so the wonderful passenger numbers to use on metric were already there. perhaps a better measure of success would be to remove those commuters who have always travelled and see how many new passenger journeys are made each year.

 

[Ellis101]

The junction etc at Handsacre is all agreed, its just at what point that any construction is expected to be programmed.

Is the junction at Handsacre actually agreed? I mean I actually don't believe that it will ever end at Handsacre because Colwich/Stafford its self is already extremely congested and my last few Avanti trains to Liverpool from Euston have been either held or delayed near Stafford/Colwich due to "congestion" - (Train Manager announcement)

Are you not just transferring the whole reason why HS2 is being built up the line..

 

[The Planner]

Is the junction at Handsacre actually agreed? I mean I actually don't believe that it will ever end at Handsacre because Colwich/Stafford its self is already extremely congested and my last few Avanti trains to Liverpool from Euston have been either held or delayed near Stafford/Colwich due to "congestion" - (Train Manager announcement)

Are you not just transferring the whole reason why HS2 is being built up the line..

In terms of its layout, yes. Unless someone puts phase 2A back on the table, thats where it ends.

 

[erikvd28]

Euston reset kicks off £300m design and engineering role hunt

Five-year deal covers station overhaul and wider regeneration district

www.constructionenquirer.com

Plans to reboot the regeneration of Euston and the surrounding area are gathering pace following the HS2 reset.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Plans to reboot the regeneration of Euston and the surrounding area are gathering pace following the HS2 reset.

The HS2 Reset hasn't happened yet, although we know the Euston approach tunnels will be built in 2026-7.
But the Euston end has been lopped off the main project and a new procurement exercise for it is now under way, though no design is agreed.
At least the long enforced silence about the new Euston seems to be coming to an end.
We also need private sector partners with deep pockets to take a big chunk of the risk.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Euston reset kicks off £300m design and engineering role hunt

Five-year deal covers station overhaul and wider regeneration district

www.constructionenquirer.com

Plans to reboot the regeneration of Euston and the surrounding area are gathering pace following the HS2 reset.

Note - this is to do with current station, taxi/bus area and getting ready for wider schemes in the Euston development. Not HS2 station.

 

[66C]

A quick look on Google Earth shows that the construction compounds north of Delta Junction to Handsacre, bar those mentioned above, appear to have been abandoned some time ago. Could it be that some contracts have been delayed to meet treasury demands. Have there been any signs of a slowing of construction between Delta and Old Oak?

 

[FMerrymon]

A quick look on Google Earth shows that the construction compounds north of Delta Junction to Handsacre, bar those mentioned above, appear to have been abandoned some time ago. Could it be that some contracts have been delayed to meet treasury demands. Have there been any signs of a slowing of construction between Delta and Old Oak?

Prioritising old oak-Birmingham for initial services.

Govt are limiting annual spend to £7bn, due to high construction inflation, but that both delays opening and has added around 3bn in cost.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A quick look on Google Earth shows that the construction compounds north of Delta Junction to Handsacre, bar those mentioned above, appear to have been abandoned some time ago. Could it be that some contracts have been delayed to meet treasury demands. Have there been any signs of a slowing of construction between Delta and Old Oak?

The Handsacre deferral was the first element of cost control for HS2, before any of the later Phase 2 cancellations were made.
At Lichfield they finished the WCML underpass to the south and are still working on the A38 changes for HS2 to the east.
The declared "pause" was to have been 2 years, but we are past that time now.
They are also still working on all sections of the Water Orton viaducts of the Delta junction, not just the Old Oak-Birmingham side.

 

[FMerrymon]

Looks like handsacre is delayed for 4 years https://www.ft.com/content/ae083314-1a16-4c19-94db-0548b7b0d15b

 

[66C]

Thank you for the information. I wasn't aware that there had been a 7bn annual cap given to the project. It makes sense that they should progress the central section and have something to show for their efforts as soon as possible. Getting passengers on the trains will change everything although still a long way off.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Looks like handsacre is delayed for 4 years https://www.ft.com/content/ae083314-1a16-4c19-94db-0548b7b0d15b

Thanks for sharing - is that four years from when the rest of Phase 1 opens in 2035?

 

[hwl]

Thank you for the information. I wasn't aware that there had been a 7bn annual cap given to the project. It makes sense that they should progress the central section and have something to show for their efforts as soon as possible. Getting passengers on the trains will change everything although still a long way off.

The limit has been in place for a while so it is very easy not to be aware. One of the review learnings from earlier this year was that the scale of simultaneous HS2 works was also contributing to construction inflation (plant and labour availability) hence focusing on reduced mileage (and structures) under construction at any point in time reduces cost pressures.
Lots of structures and sections of routes will be compete baring final fencing and landscaping touches in the next year which will bring down the spend rate.
The cash also had to be found to push on with Curzon Street station (not part of the main 4 civils contracts) to meet the OOC - Curzon street opening dates targeted.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2025 ==

The Handsacre deferral was the first element of cost control for HS2, before any of the later Phase 2 cancellations were made.
At Lichfield they finished the WCML underpass to the south and are still working on the A38 changes for HS2 to the east.
The declared "pause" was to have been 2 years, but we are past that time now.
They are also still working on all sections of the Water Orton viaducts of the Delta junction, not just the Old Oak-Birmingham side.

Water Orton & Delta Junction: too late to change plans there

 

[FMerrymon]

Thanks for sharing - is that four years from when the rest of Phase 1 opens in 2035?

Its not clear, i dont believe it would be on top of 2035 though. Nor is it clear whether thats taking into account the 2 year delay already.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Its not clear, i dont believe it would be on top of 2035 though. Nor is it clear whether thats taking into account the 2 year delay already.

I can't see the full FT piece, but the 4-year delay probably means the Network Rail job at Handsacre is pushed into CP8 (2029-34), or whatever it will be called under the GBR funding regime.
That means no work in the current CP7.

 

[AleDrinker]

Lurker here playing devil's advocate, but given HS2 needs to cut costs is a Handsacre connection to the WCML even really necessary at this point?

Given that it's clear now that HS2 is going to be operating for years without one, is it really that much trouble for passagers travelling north of Birmingham to change at Curzon street for a HS2 continuation service departing from new street?

 

[takno]

Lurker here playing devil's advocate, but given HS2 needs to cut costs is a Handsacre connection to the WCML even really necessary at this point?

Given that it's clear now that HS2 is going to be operating for years without one, is it really that much trouble for passagers travelling north of Birmingham to change at Curzon street for a HS2 continuation service departing from new street?

Changing from HS2 at Birmingham would be slower than direct WCML services for essentially all journeys, so that's a non-starter. Saying that you aren't going to attempt to benefit passengers north of Birmingham or provide any capacity benefits on the WCML is an option, but it probably pulls you straight back into the question of whether it's even worth completing to Birmingham

 

[Palmerston]

If HS2 was built to Crewe, could the Handsacre connection be abolished? Obviously yes, it could, but wouldn't be popular in Stoke. Would this allow sufficient connections to Manchester? Would it save a meaningful amount of money, that would offset a bit of the cost of getting to Crewe?

 

[FMerrymon]

If HS2 was built to Crewe, could the Handsacre connection be abolished? Obviously yes, it could, but wouldn't be popular in Stoke. Would this allow sufficient connections to Manchester? Would it save a meaningful amount of money, that would offset a bit of the cost of getting to Crewe?

I wouldn't have thought many in Stoke would be aware hs2 was to come to them directly or how it would benefit them. That part of the route has never been well advertised. One of their MPs, who somehow made it on to the transport select committee, didnt seem know.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2025 ==

From https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...o-west-coast-mainline-delayed-four-more-years:

Plans for London Euston are yet to be finalised and rail industry leaders have warned that capacity constraints on the west coast mainline could mean that HS2 trains joining the network actually worsens existing services. It is understood that the latest deferral was partly needed to allow fuller consideration of how the challenges of running full services from central London to the north could be met.

Still the fallout from Sunak & Gilligan's cuts then. The best solution is just to build phase 2a. £1bn was already spent on it, just get on with it.

 

[HSTEd]

If HS2 was built to Crewe, could the Handsacre connection be abolished? Obviously yes, it could, but wouldn't be popular in Stoke. Would this allow sufficient connections to Manchester? Would it save a meaningful amount of money, that would offset a bit of the cost of getting to Crewe?

It's highly unlikely that cancelling handsacre would get you a meaningful distance towards Crewe. Which is going to cost many billions.

HS2 put the cost at up to £7bn before it was cancelled. It will be more like £10bn now.

EDIT:
The lowest net cost way out of this mess would probably be to go to Hixon and accept severing the existing Stoke-Colwich line connection to the WCML. Services to Manchester etc run via Stoke and everything else uses Handsacre.

Even that will cost billions.

 

[FMerrymon]

HS2 put the cost at up to £7bn before it was cancelled. It will be more like £10bn now.

9.3bn in today's prices, with 1.3bn already spent, so around 8bn. The alignment's there, the hybrid bill is in place and gives the most value and maximises the return on the current investment.