Delivering HS2 and Euston

In December 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a fundamental reset of the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway, following the 2023 cancellation of Phase 2 of the line from the West Midlands to Manchester, as well as a smaller HS2 station in London Euston. Estimated ranges of how much it would cost to complete … Show more

In December 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a fundamental reset of the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway, following the 2023 cancellation of Phase 2 of the line from the West Midlands to Manchester, as well as a smaller HS2 station in London Euston. Estimated ranges of how much it would cost to complete Phase 1 varied widely at the time of the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) last report on HS2, with the DfT’s estimated range in November 2023 of £45bn-£54bn comparing with HS2 Ltd’s June 2024 estimate of £54bn-£66bn. Reported estimates of the final cost of the programme now range over £100bn. The Public Accounts Committee has scrutinised the delivery of HS2 since the early days of the project, with its first report on the topic in 2013 . The PAC’s February 2025 report found that HS2 had become a casebook example of how not to run a major project, sharply criticising as unacceptable the fact that over a decade into the programme it was still unknown what it would cost, what the final scope would be, when it would be finally completed or what benefits it would deliver. Its February 2024 report on HS2 and Euston warned that the DfT did not then have any plan for how to attract private finance to pay for the station. In 2026, the Committee will take evidence from senior government officials and HS2 Ltd. as it scrutinises the delivery of HS2 and Euston. Likely topics will include the funding, costs and timeline of both Euston and the wider project, as well as the community impacts and benefits of each. If you have evidence on these issues please submit it using the link below by 23:59 on Monday 9 June 2025. 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’s inquiry cannot assist with individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, you may wish to read the information on Parliament’s website about who you can contact with different issues . Show less