Watchdog rates HS2 ‘unachievable’

The HS2 rail line has been given an “unachievable” rating by an official infrastructure watchdog.

It has been given a “red” warning for its first two phases – from London to Birmingham then onto Crewe – by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

The red rating, contained in the IPA’s annual report on major projects released last week said: “Successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable.

“There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable.

“The project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed.”

Earlier this month, HS2 Ltd’s chief executive Mark Thurston announced his resignation amid major delays and cost pressures for the project.

HS2 was initially scheduled to open in 2026, but this has been delayed to between 2029 and 2033 due to construction difficulties and rising costs.

A budget of £55.7bn for the whole project was set in 2015, but the target cost excluding the eastern leg of Phase 2b from the West Midlands to the East Midlands has soared to between £53bn and £61bn at 2019 prices.

In March it was announced work at Euston would be paused for two years as costs had climbed to £4.8bn compared with an initial budget of £2.6bn.

A statement from the Department for Transport said: “Spades are already in the ground on HS2, with 350 construction sites, over £20bn invested to date and supporting over 28,500 jobs.
“We remain committed to delivering HS2 in the most cost-effective way for taxpayers.

“HS2 will bring transformational benefits for generations to come, improving connections and helping grow the economy.”