HS2 and Euston: Recall

In July 2023, the Committee reported that the Department for Transport (DfT) does not know what it is trying to achieve with the High Speed 2 station at Euston, despite spending over eight years planning and designing it. Construction work at Euston was paused for two years in March 2023. The Committee has called on … Show more

In July 2023, the Committee reported that the Department for Transport (DfT) does not know what it is trying to achieve with the High Speed 2 station at Euston, despite spending over eight years planning and designing it. Construction work at Euston was paused for two years in March 2023. The Committee has called on the DfT to use the pause to finally establish the design and expectations for the station against what it is willing to spend, while noting that the costs and impacts of the pause for the local community and small businesses remain unknown. The Committee will question senior officials at the DfT and HS2 Ltd. on progress on the project since its April 2023 evidence session and leadership changes at HS2 following the Committee’s report. Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “The HS2 Euston project is floundering. This is a multi-billion pound scheme which has already caused major disruption to the local community put on pause. The pause, ostensibly to save money, is not cost free – mothballing and possible compensation for businesses which have lost work will all need to be added to the HS2 tally. The Government must now be clear what it is trying to achieve with this new station, and how it will benefit the public. “Our report found that a wildly unrealistic budget for HS2 Euston was set in 2020 in the expectation that it would be revised. The Government must demonstrate that that it is not just repeating the same mistakes of unrealistic costings. HS2 Euston has shown us that forging ahead over-optimistically in an unclear direction is clearly not the right approach.” If you have evidence on these issues, please submit it here by 23:59 on Friday 10 November 2023. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. Please note that the Committee will not be scrutinising policy decisions in relation to HS2 Euston or the HS2 project. Show less