HS2 in 'very serious situation', boss says

The HS2 project is in a "very serious situation" and needs a "fundamental reset", the new boss of the the high-speed railway company has warned.

Mark Wild, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, said he is committed to ensuring the railway opens "safely and efficiently".

His comments come after HS2 Ltd published an update outlining the progress in building the 140-mile line between London and the West Midlands.

The government's last estimate of the overall cost for the remaining Birmingham to London stretch is between £45bn and £54bn.

HS2 started as a Labour project, announced in 2009. It has since been hit with setbacks and soaring costs.

It was originally meant to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds; but the link between Birmingham and Manchester was scrapped by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2023.

The new plan is for it to be a high-speed link between Birmingham and London, with a lot of work having already been completed on this section.

In its update on Monday, HS2 said 38 of the 55 miles of twin-bore tunnels have been excavated, and 58% of engineering work to prepare the ground for the railway's cuttings, embankments, stations and landscaping has been completed.

Work has also started on building 158 out of 227 viaducts and bridges.

More than 31,000 people are employed on the programme, which has 350 active construction sites.

"New railways provide better journeys and they boost economic growth by fuelling investment in communities and businesses," Mr Wild said.

"HS2 represents a significant investment in Britain's future - and in the last month I've been inspired by the hugely impressive feats of civil engineering taking shape right along the route."

Projects expected to be completed in 2025 include the excavation of the 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel in west London and both bores of the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel, which will carry the line in and out of Birmingham.