That is according to a report in the Financial Times today, which appears to have been given an advance briefing on a report set to be published next week.
Sir David Higgins, who joined HS2 from Network Rail in January to deliver the £42bn high speed rail project, has produced a report outlining his initial thoughts on how to reduce costs on the project. This is scheduled for publication on Monday.
According to the FT, he will recommend a U-turn on plans for Euston station in London. Plans for Euston were scaled back to last year to cut costs in the face of political controversy over the apparently escalating price tag. The former London Olympics boss says the original plans should be reinstated and funded by private sector developments, like at King’s Cross down the road.
The FT says that his report will look at shortening the construction period by starting work in the south and the north as soon as possible.
Phase two of the project, from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, is currently programmed to follow on after phase one, the London-Birmingham section. Bringing phase two forward would require accelerating the enabling legislation through Parliament. Given the political controversy surrounding the project, this would seem hard for the government to achieve, should it wish to do so.
Under the current programme, phase one should be completed in 2026 and phase two in 2033.
Sir David Higgins was appointed non-executive chairman of High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd on 1 January 2014 and became executive chairman on 1 March 2014.
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