Reduced HS2 seats could force Government to discourage travel

The cancellation of HS2’s northern leg might force the government to discourage rail travel between Birmingham and Manchester due to reduced passenger capacity on trains.

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) indicates that new HS2 trains on existing tracks will have fewer seats than current services, potentially reducing capacity between these cities by 17%.

To manage demand, the government might encourage travel at different times or suggest alternative modes of transport.

Adapting existing stations for longer HS2 trains is also being considered, but this could be costly and disruptive. While improving or adding infrastructure is another option, it also presents financial and logistical challenges.

The NAO report also highlighted that £592m had already been spent on land and property for the now-cancelled parts of the route. The decision to only proceed with the section between London and the West Midlands was made last October by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Labour criticised the Conservative management of HS2, calling the cost overruns and mismanagement reckless.