Recommendation 13

The Department detailed some of the work it has been undertaking since early 2020 to find cost savings at Euston. This included: a review of the proposed tracks and tunnelling at Euston, which confirmed the existing approach was justified; an assessment of the station design, which might lead to a smaller station being built in a single stage; and, opportunities for further integration with Network Rail, such as sharing entrances to the London Underground and combining construction programmes.30 The Department 22 Qq 93–95 23 Committee of Public Accounts, High Speed 2: Spring 2020 update, Third Report of Session 2019–21, HC 84, 17 May 2020, conclusion 4 24 Q 40; Note dated 30 November 2020 from Department for Transport; Committee of Public Accounts, High Speed 2: Spring 2020 update, Third Report of Session 2019–21, HC 84, 17 May 2020, conclusion 4 25 Qq 45–46 26 Committee of Public Accounts, High Speed 2: Spring 2020 update, Third Report of Session 2019–21, HC 84, 17 May 2020, conclusion 4, para 18 27 Note dated 30 November 2020 from Department for Transport, High Speed 2: Spring 2020 update, Third Report of Session 2019–21 – recommendation 4 – Euston update 28 Written statement to Parliament, HS2 6-monthly report to Parliament: March 2021, 23 March 2021 29 Qq 40–43 30 Q 40 HS2 Summer 2021 13 told us that it had also set up a Euston Partnership Board to bring together HS2 Ltd, Network Rail, the London Borough of Camden, Greater London Authority, Lendlease and Transport for London to agree the plan for Euston. The Department intended for the Board to bring together the right stakeholders to make the “right trade-offs”.31 The Department told us the Board had brought extra momentum and impetus to the work at Euston and had helped to resolve some problems, although we noted final decisions are still outstanding, with a planning decision on Euston expected in September 2022.32