Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Acknowledged
Department identifies recurring lessons from Euston for future complex station developments
Conclusion
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
Government Response 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.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 6.2 The department has a strong culture of learning lessons from managing major rail programmes, which includes working with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority in order to learn lessons from Crossrail. The department made the decision not to proceed to full construction of Euston Station in the next two years due to affordability and profiling issues. It will continue to apply lessons learnt across phases of the HS2 programme. 6.3 A culture of lessons learned is actively encouraged within the department, and specific initiatives are promoted in the individual directorates running each part of the HS2 project, including a structured learning and development programme, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and shadowing and facilitated workshops. 6.4 As part of the Euston Reset Programme, the department is working to identify the cost drivers of the previous station cost estimate of £4.8 billion. High Speed Rail Group is learning from the more mature elements of the HS2 programme, including those from Birmingham Curzon Street and other major projects in the department's portfolio. These are being actively shared with projects that are less mature. 6.5 HS2 Ltd are undertaking work in order to understand the key cost drivers of the current station design and the reasons why the station cost increased following the move to a 10-platform single-stage build design in 2021. The department is also keen to understand appropriate lessons to enact as part of the Euston Reset Programme. Learning, both within the department and at HS2 Ltd will be shared with colleagues developing Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham Curzon Street stations. 6.6 The department is working with delivery partners to complete the optioneering stage of the Euston Reset Programme. Once appropriate options have been identified, the department will undertake a sift process in which only solutions that are deliverable cross-campus will be considered.