HS2 chief pushes major project reset back to end of 2026

[ad_1] The reset had been expected to set a fresh budget and delivery timetable in March. But Transport Secretary Heidi ...
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The reset had been expected to set a fresh budget and delivery timetable in March.

But Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander intervened and ordered HS2 to test whether a simpler railway specification could cut costs and get services running sooner.

Top of the hit list is HS2’s original 360km/h design speed.

Ministers believe dropping to a proven high-speed standard of 300km/h to 320km/h could slash risk in signalling, controls, commissioning and train testing while having only a limited impact on journey times.

Wild said the new plan would now be completed by the “end of this year” in a fresh update on the HS2 project’s progress.

He said: “We’re very, very clear of our priorities in the next four years, and we’re on track to deliver the baseline schedule by the end of this year.

“As we’ve always said, it’s taking a couple of years to do this.

“Why is that? Well, we’ve got to get it right, because this reset will be the last time that we do it to the end of the job.”

Wild added: “I am determined to explore every opportunity to remove the over-specification and complexity from this project to bring down costs and delivery timelines.

“This will ensure the updated cost and schedule estimates are robust, rather than rush the process and risk publishing figures that we do not trust.”

HS2 said work on the ground was still pushing ahead while the reset is finalised.

All tunnelling between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street has now been completed.

At Curzon Street, 2,000 piles have been installed to support the new terminal station with the concrete superstructure contract due to be announced shortly. Around 2,700 viaduct segments have been manufactured at Coleshill for the major Delta Junction works.

Wild said: “Clearly we’re resetting the programme, but while we do that it’s absolutely essential that every single day we maximise the amount of productivity that we get for the amount of public money that we spend.

“I’m really pleased with productivity. We’ve achieved many notable milestones in the past year and we’ve got off to a good start in this financial year.”

 

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