Introduction
The High Speed Two programme aims to construct a new high-speed, high-capacity railway between London, Leeds and Manchester, via the West Midlands. This will join with the existing rail network to enable journeys to Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. With an original budget of £55.7 billion set in 2015, it is the Government’s largest infrastructure programme by value. The Department for Transport (the Department) is the programme sponsor and High Speed Two Limited (HS2 Ltd) is its dedicated arm’s-length body responsible for delivering the programme. The Department and HS2 Ltd are planning for partial Phase One services from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street to start between 2029 and 2033, with full services from Euston starting between 2031 and 2036. HS2 Ltd estimates the full network to Leeds and Manchester will open between 2036 and 2040.
Following cost increases and schedule delays, the Government announced an independent review of the programme (‘Oakervee Review’) in August 2019. In February 2020, the Government published the outcome of the review and announced that Phase One of the programme would go ahead, combined with Phase 2a which connects Birmingham and Crewe. The Government also announced that it would publish an Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands by the end of 2020 that would identify the best way to sequence investments and how to integrate Phase 2b of High Speed Two, Northern Powerhouse Rail and other rail investments.
Published: 17 May 2020