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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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Evening Standard+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Transport Secretary mulls running HS2 trains at slower speed to keep costs down
Reducing the high-speed rail project from its intended speed of 360km per hour could save an amount in the ‘low billions’, Heidi Alexander said.
·London, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources25
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Center
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
64% Center
L 36%
C 64%
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