United Kingdom

HS2 UK Rail Project Faces Further Delays Beyond 2033

Published JUN 18 2025

Story

Above: The HS2 Curzon No.2 Viaduct in Birmingham, England, on June 18, 2025. Image credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The Facts

U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed that the HS2 railway project will not meet its 2033 opening target, with the high-speed line between London and Birmingham facing delays of at least two years due to cost overruns and project mismanagement.
Guardian
Guido Fawkes
In a statement to the Commons, Alexander said that a review by HS2 CEO Mark Wild demonstrated that HS2 was currently "unsustainable" with regards to "cost schedule, and scope" and described the project as "an appalling mess."
GOV.UK
parliament.uk
The transport secretary also warned that without action, Phase One of HS2 could become "one of the most expensive railway lines in the world," citing that projected costs had risen by £37 billion ($49.8 billion) under previous Conservative governments.
parliament.uk
Sky News
Alexander, however, promised that the government would "get the job done" by implementing the recommendations of a review by infrastructure expert James Stewart addressing project oversight, costs, skill shortages, clarity regarding Euston Station, and infrastructure delivery.
GOV.UK
BBC News
The transport secretary also announced that former Transport for London Commissioner Mike Brown would take over as HS2's chair to work with Mark Wild, who has been tasked to produce an update on HS2's costs and timescales by the year's end.
GOV.UK
Independent
Daily Mail
In response, Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary Gareth Bacon admitted that "mistakes were made" in the previous government’s handling of HS2. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, meanwhile, said that HS2 should be scrapped and its funding reinvested to improve existing railway lines.
The Times (UK)
Metro
X
parliament.uk

Sources Split

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The Spin

Labour Party narrative

The Tory government's handling of HS2 was an abysmal failure, with insufficient oversight, runaway costs, and poor management. Labour, however, will turn the project around. By recognizing the issues identified by the Wild review and implementing the recommendations of Stewart's review, the government will reset HS2, even if it requires a necessary delay to get back on track.

GOV.UK

Reform Party narrative

After yet another HS2 delay, is now not the time to ask whether this is a good use of taxpayers' money? Especially when HS2 would only exacerbate, rather than heal, the north-south divide by funneling more money into London rather than expanding business to the north. HS2's funding should instead be used to improve existing railway lines, which would benefit millions of people.