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HS2 trains could run 16% slower than planned to save billions, minister says
The UK government plans to reduce HS2 train speeds by up to 16.7% to save billions, reduce risks, and potentially open the line between London and Birmingham sooner.
- On Monday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander ordered HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild to evaluate reducing the line's top speed from 360km/h to 320km/h or 300km/h to curb spiralling project costs.
- The current 360km/h specification requires bespoke UK track or overseas testing, which officials claim could delay completion by years and add billions in costs, prompting this review to ensure delivery at the "lowest reasonable cost."
- Provisional estimates suggest lowering speeds could save the project "low billions" while having a "negligible impact" on journey times, according to the Department for Transport , potentially enabling services to launch sooner.
- Wild must submit a formal impact report to Alexander before Parliament's summer recess on July 16, following a broader programme-wide "reset" aimed at regaining control over budget and schedule.
- This review reflects ongoing efforts to stabilize HS2 following years of mismanagement and positions speed reduction as a strategic measure to manage project scale after previous route curtailments.
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27 Articles
27 Articles
HS2 trains could run slower to save billions in costs
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has commissioned a report into running HS2 trains at slower speeds, with initial estimates suggesting the move could save billions and bring services between London and Birmingham into operation sooner
·Coventry, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources27
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution69% Center
Bias Distribution
- 69% of the sources are Center
69% Center
L 31%
C 69%
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