The opening of HS2 will be delayed beyond the target date of 2033, the BBC understands. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to tell Parliament on Wednesday that there is "no reasonable way to deliver" the railway line on schedule and within budget - but is not expected to say how long the delay will be. She is set to outline the findings of an independent review into HS2, in which a "litany of failure" has been blamed for ballooning costs. It is the latest setback for the high-speed rail project, which has been scaled back and delayed repeatedly. Alexander is expected to say that Conservative governments presided over the cost of HS2 rising by £37bn between 2012, when the line was first approved, and the general election last year. Under the original plans, HS2 was intended to create high-speed rail links between London and major cities in the Midlands and North of England. It was designed to cut journey times and expand capacity on the railways, but has has faced myriad challenges and soaring costs. It has already been pared down to a high-speed link between Birmingham and London, with the Birmingham to Manchester leg cancelled in 2023. Confirming that decision, the then-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said costs were getting "totally out of control". That was two years after a planned eastern leg between Birmingham and Leeds was axed. In 2010, it was estimated HS2 would cost £33bn and open in 2026. Last year, the Department for Transport said the remaining project cost was estimated at between £45bn and £54bn in 2019 prices - but HS2 management has estimated it could be as high as £57bn. On Wednesday, the transport secretary is expected to announce the findings of a review conducted by the former chief executive of Crossrail, James Stewart, which was commissioned last year to "investigate the oversight of major transport infrastructure projects". In October last year, a new chief executive, Mark Wild, was put in place as part of efforts to get control of rising costs.
Opening of HS2 line set to be delayed beyond 2033
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"HS2 High-Speed Rail Project Opening Delayed Beyond 2033"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The anticipated opening of the HS2 high-speed railway line is now set to be delayed beyond the previously targeted date of 2033, according to information obtained by the BBC. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is scheduled to address Parliament on Wednesday, where she will indicate that delivering the railway line on time and within the established budget is no longer feasible. Although she is not expected to provide a specific timeline for the delay, Alexander will present the findings from an independent review that highlights a 'litany of failure' contributing to the escalating costs of the project. The HS2 initiative, which was originally designed to enhance rail connectivity between London and key cities in the Midlands and North of England, has encountered numerous obstacles and significant financial overruns since its inception, which has led to repeated scaling back and postponements of the project.
The financial trajectory of HS2 has shifted dramatically since its approval in 2012, with Conservative governments overseeing a staggering £37 billion increase in costs leading up to the last general election. Initially estimated to cost £33 billion and expected to launch in 2026, the project's costs have ballooned, with recent estimates placing the remaining budget between £45 billion and £54 billion in 2019 prices, and management projections suggesting it could escalate to as high as £57 billion. The project has already seen the cancellation of the Birmingham to Manchester leg in 2023, following a similar decision to scrap the eastern leg connecting Birmingham to Leeds two years prior. The review being discussed by Alexander was commissioned to evaluate oversight mechanisms for major transport infrastructure projects and is expected to shed light on the ongoing issues. In an effort to regain control over the rising expenses, Mark Wild was appointed as the new chief executive of HS2 last October, following the appointment of former Crossrail chief executive James Stewart to conduct the independent review.
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