RAIL IND. NEWS
HS2 OVER BUDGET - EUSTON WORKS PLANNED - ESTIMATED COST OF ENTIRE PROJECT NOW.
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NETWORK RAIL UPDATES AND UPGRADES
HS2 UPDATE
HS2 is a new high-speed railway system designed to travel between major UK cities in faster times than ever before. Connecting 25 stations up and down the UK from North to South, stretching from London, England to Edinburgh, Scotland with opportunities to grow the network further in the future. The aim to help bridge the gap of the North/South divide.
With the building of new train tracks, new paths, new stations and more trains to soon be on the HS2 lines – if listing pros and cons, the environment could be seen as one big con, especially in a world where
people tend tolean to renewable energy
and going green.
HS2 has considered this, and along the
line stretching from London to the
West Midlands will be one of the UKs
largest ever infrastructure projects
– the ‘green corridor’.
HS2 already supports more than 7,000 jobs
across the supply chain.
Current Update on HS2
Phase 1
Main civils design work commenced in 2017 with main civils construction work planned for the start of 2019 has now been pushed back until later this year due to concerns over rising costs. Phase 1 is expected to be completed by early 2024 with the delivery of the first trains for infrastructure testing. With the first set of passengers expected to travel on HS2 services by late 2026.
Phase 2a
Work on phase 2 has not yet been approved by parliament and is not due to begin till 2024. It’s predicted that it will be approved by the parliament later on this year. With environmental construction works commencing early next year, main civils construction work commencing in mid-2021, with passengers set to travel on phase 2 services by late 2027.
Phase 2b
So far, the government has confirmed the route for phase 2b. Main civils design work is not expected to commence until late 2022, with the first set of phase 3 passengers not expected to travel until late 2033, meaning HS2 is not meant to be completed for another 15 years or so.
MAY 2019 | MANE RAIL & INFRASTRUCTURE | 9