24
Conclusion
Sixty-Third Report - HS2 Euston
Acknowledged
The Department’s failures around budgeting, cost estimation and integration on the Euston project are not new. We have reported on these as part of our examination of other major rail programmes over the years. For example, on the Thameslink Programme, this committee found in 2018 that Network Rail did not …
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The Department’s failures around budgeting, cost estimation and integration on the Euston project are not new. We have reported on these as part of our examination of other major rail programmes over the years. For example, on the Thameslink Programme, this committee found in 2018 that Network Rail did not have enough contingency within its budget for the redevelopment of London Bridge station, where costs rose from the condition and complexity of the site.60 This committee also reported about the Department’s failure to manage the modernisation of the Great Western Railway in 2017 in a joined-up way, including a failure to integrate projects together.61
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the committee's observation about past failures, stating it fosters a strong culture of learning lessons from major rail programmes and is applying them across HS2, including specific initiatives and sharing insights with less mature projects.
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HM Treasury
25
Recommendation
Sixty-Third Report - HS2 Euston
Acknowledged
We concluded in our 2021 progress update on Crossrail that the Department had still not demonstrated that it is embedding lessons learned into its major programmes.62 When we asked the Department again about learning lessons, the Department and HS2 Ltd told us that they are learning from Crossrail, such as …
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We concluded in our 2021 progress update on Crossrail that the Department had still not demonstrated that it is embedding lessons learned into its major programmes.62 When we asked the Department again about learning lessons, the Department and HS2 Ltd told us that they are learning from Crossrail, such as around programme and system integration and that there is a clear audit trail demonstrating how lessons have been applied.63 The Department also believed that the earlier identification of problems at Euston compared to other rail programmes reflected how it is embedding learning into its projects.64
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation to embed lessons learned, stating it has a strong culture of learning from major rail programmes, works with the IPA, and applies lessons across HS2 phases through various initiatives, aiming for implementation by Summer 2025.
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HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
Sixty-Third Report - HS2 Euston
Acknowledged
In terms of what it has learned from Euston, the Department told us that there are lessons on cost estimation, the treatment of contingency and managing integration on large and complex stations. These are all issues we have seen before on other major programmes, including those overseen by the Department. …
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In terms of what it has learned from Euston, the Department told us that there are lessons on cost estimation, the treatment of contingency and managing integration on large and complex stations. These are all issues we have seen before on other major programmes, including those overseen by the Department. It also added that over the next two years it will learn about the challenges of pausing works and then restarting them. HS2 Ltd considered that learning from Euston will be most relevant at Manchester Piccadilly 58 Written statement to Parliament, HS2 6 monthly report to Parliament: June 2023, 19 June 2023 59 Transport Committee, Oral evidence, Rail services and infrastructure, 21 June 2023, Q163–166 60 Committee of Public Accounts, Update on the Thameslink Programme, 20th Report of Session 2017–19, 5 February 2018, para 11 61 Committee of Public Accounts, Modernising the Great Western Railway, 44th Report of Session 2016–17, 22 February 2017, para 4 62 Committee of Public Accounts, Crossrail: A progress update, Twenty-Fourth Report of Session 2021–22, 29 October 2021, para 5 63 Qq 105–106 64 Q 116 16 HS2 Euston station, which is part of Phase 2b (Crewe to Manchester) of the HS2 programme.65 It set out that, like at Euston, there are interfaces with an existing conventional rail system and with other modes of transport including a tram system.66 Once the bill for Phase 2b goes through Parliament, HS2 Ltd was clear that it and the Department will need to consider what the right set up and organisation with other partners, such as the Manchester transport authority and Network Rail, will be early on at Manchester Piccadilly. It will also include consideration of the ambition for over-site development and regeneration in that area.67
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the committee's observation regarding lessons learned from Euston, stating it fosters a culture of learning and will apply these lessons, particularly sharing insights with projects like Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham Curzon Street.
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HM Treasury
27
Conclusion
Sixty-Third Report - HS2 Euston
Acknowledged
In comparison the Department and HS2 Ltd noted that other HS2 stations may be less complex or already more advanced in their progress than Euston, such as Curzon Street in Birmingham, where HS2 Ltd told us that the civil works is 40% complete. In the case of the more advanced …
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In comparison the Department and HS2 Ltd noted that other HS2 stations may be less complex or already more advanced in their progress than Euston, such as Curzon Street in Birmingham, where HS2 Ltd told us that the civil works is 40% complete. In the case of the more advanced stations, the Department also believes that it will be able to draw out from them more accurate information, such as construction costs, to help better manage later phases of the programme.68 HS2 Ltd also saw an important lesson from the development at King’s Cross to bring into the reset at Euston is how the station was developed as part of an integrated campus and not in isolation.69 65 Q 116; High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill - Parliamentary Bills 66 Q 116 67 Q 116 68 Qq 7, 56, 116; 69 Qq 54–55, 60 HS2 Euston 17
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the committee's observation about drawing lessons from more advanced stations, stating it actively shares learning from mature projects like Birmingham Curzon Street with less mature ones such as Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.
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HM Treasury