Govia Thameslink Railway Services: Transfer to Public Ownership
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(1 week, 2 days ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
I am confirming to the House that on Sunday 31 May, Govia Thameslink Railway’s services, operating as Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, became the fifth to transfer into public ownership under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act.
Operations are now run by a new public sector operator—Thameslink Southern Great Northern Limited (TSGNL)—a subsidiary of public corporation DfT Operator Limited (DFTO).
The new operator will commit to deliver a range of measures to help improve performance and passengers’ experience, including:
doubling the number of Gatwick Express trains each hour between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria from December, as well as more early morning services on Saturdays and Mondays over the busy summer period;
providing additional Great Northern off-peak services from Moorgate from December;
recruiting an additional 75 drivers on Thameslink and Great Northern this year, helping to reduce cancellations;
enabling passengers to get support from staff directly via WhatsApp if there is disruption to services;
improving all 115 Class 700 units on Thameslink by carrying out deep cleaning and repairing minor damage, as well as refreshing and resurfacing all toilets to help combat graffiti;
providing a total of 110 Travel Safe Officers on Thameslink services; and
completing the Automatic Train Operation training programme by December 2026, which will support improvements in punctuality, particularly in recovering delays during disruption.
Nine of the 14 train operators delivering passenger services under contract with the Department for Transport are now in public ownership.
Chiltern Railways’ services will be the next to transfer on 20 September 2026, followed by Great Western Railway’s services on 13 December 2026. The rail public ownership programme is on track to be completed by the end of 2027.
Public ownership is already putting passengers back at the heart of the railway, but it is not in itself a guarantee of improved services. To truly fix the structural issues that have long plagued our railways, we need systemic reform. The Railways Bill continues its passage through Parliament and will establish GBR, a new nationalised rail company, that will integrate the management of track and trains for passengers and freight use every day. It will also create a strengthened passenger watchdog.
Once established, GBR will maintain and improve the railways and be accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers. GBR will be empowered to build a railway that not only puts passengers and customers first but also supports the Government’s missions to drive economic growth and opportunity, by improving connectivity and unlocking jobs and housing.
The Government are already making improvements for passengers, with the first regulated rail fares freeze in 30 years as well as rolling out Pay As You Go more widely.
Economic growth is a key priority for the Government. Reforming our railways is central to achieving this. Improved performance will bring more people back to rail—generating greater revenue and reducing costs.
[HCWS72]
High Speed 2 Reset
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
With permission, I will make a statement on High Speed 2.
Last summer, I stood at this Dispatch Box and promised that we would be straight with the British people not just about the appalling mess we inherited, but about how we would fundamentally reset the HS2 project. Today I am publishing the latest parliamentary report and the Lovegrove report—an assessment of what past failings in the delivery of HS2 mean for the civil service and the wider public sector. This was a Cabinet Secretary investigation commissioned by the Prime Minister last year. I will also take this opportunity to update hon. Members on the latest stage of the HS2 reset.
However, I will first remind the House of the litany of failures we inherited in July 2024. Costs soared by £37 billion under the previous Government alone, with billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money sunk into phase 2 work for the sections north of Birmingham before they were abruptly cancelled. Huge contracts were handed out without improvements in price, despite the Oakervee review’s recommendation to negotiate a better position.
Instead of signalling the country’s ambition, HS2 became a symbol of this country’s decline. After more than five years of construction and more than £40 billion spent, the country was no closer to having an operational HS2 railway than when construction first began. That is the shocking legacy of the previous Government, and I am afraid it gets worse: I can today confirm that the previous Government spent most of HS2’s budget without laying a single metre of its track. Today is about ending that era of neglect.
New chief executive officer Mark Wild and chair Mike Brown have an almost impossible task on their hands; as Mark put it to me recently, it is like changing the engine of an aeroplane mid-flight. However, the new leadership team at HS2 is turning things around, with six major construction milestones reached earlier than planned in the past year. The organisation is more focused on the things that matter, with 300 back-office roles removed. HS2 Ltd is reviewing its supply chain contracts and the incentives within them to ensure that we finish the job at the lowest reasonable cost, and it is managing those contractors properly now to ensure that supplier performance is up to scratch. Finally, we are seeing improved oversight, with HS2’s leadership now receiving real-time updates, helping to prevent delays and keep construction to time.
However, there is no getting away from the fact that the vast majority of HS2’s previous budget was blown on completing around a third of the entire project. Over the past year, Mark Wild and HS2 Ltd have worked closely with me and my Department to assess the remaining work to be done. They have now provided me with updated costs and timescales, which I can share with the House.
It gives me no pleasure to say that the expected cost of completing HS2 is now between £87.7 billion and £102.7 billion, priced in 2025. Two thirds of that increase is down to past misunderstanding of the work required, underestimation and inefficiency—issues within the control of HS2 Ltd, some of its suppliers and previous Governments. The remaining third is linked to inflation, which was not factored into previous cost estimates regularly enough.
On timings, I said last year that I could see no route by which trains could be running by 2033. We now expect the first services to run from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street between May 2036 and October 2039. Where the previous Government could not say when the full HS2 scheme between Euston and Handsacre Junction would be delivered, I now expect it to happen between May 2040 and December 2043. Lessons have been learned from the Stewart review, meaning that HS2’s cost and schedules are now built on more solid foundations, with credible estimates published as ranges to ensure that they better stand the test of time.
Colleagues may feel that they have heard this all before; I understand that scepticism, but it is different this time. HS2 Ltd has now used the same experts and methods behind the successful Crossrail reset. It has priced future work against what we have learned so far, and its homework has been checked by an independent panel of experts.
However, if this seems like an obscene increase in time and costs, it is because it is. If it seems that I am angry, it is because I am. I am angry on behalf of taxpayers and affected communities who have been swindled by the failures of successive Conservative Governments; I am angry on behalf of the thousands of rail and construction workers who are giving their all on this project, and who do not deserve to have their industry tarnished in this way; and I am angry on behalf of passengers who continue to wait for the new services and new opportunities that they deserve.
Despite this sorry situation, we are determined to claw back as much time and money as possible. The Lovegrove report not only corroborates the Stewart review’s damning assessment of the decision-making environment under the previous Government, but talks about the original “gold plating” of HS2 and a focus on
“the highest possible speeds, resulting in bespoke and highly engineered design”.
To translate: it was a massively over-specced folly, with the prospect of the fastest trains anywhere in the world tickling the fancy of Conservative Ministers. If we were a country the size of China, I could understand it—but we are not. Passengers just want reliable trains that turn up when they are supposed to, more services and more seats. They want a common-sense approach that gets them the railway they deserve, not a vanity project with trains so fast that proper testing could not be done until track and railway systems were complete.
I therefore asked Mark Wild to remove the gold-plating and complexity from this project, and I have today accepted his recommendation to align HS2 with speeds already delivered on other European high-speed networks. That means we will still run some of the fastest trains in Europe, with speeds reaching 320 kph; but, crucially, it will lower the cost of testing and make delivering the project less risky. It could realise savings of up to £2.5 billion and save at least a year in delivery time.
I realise that there will be those who will say that this is all too much and that we should just cancel the whole thing. However, I can confirm today that it could cost almost as much to cancel the line as it would to finish it, while delivering none of the benefits, with half-finished structures strewn across the English countryside, a relic of what could have been.
This Labour Government are clear that we will deliver HS2 to completion, because this country can build big things; we just need competent people at the helm to deliver them. Prime Ministers Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak—
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
Order. I am sure that the Secretary of State did not mean to use the name of the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak).
Heidi Alexander
My apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Previous Prime Ministers, in my view, created the world’s most expensive slow-motion car crash, and they barely batted an eyelid. This Government have rolled up our sleeves and done the hard yards, putting the right team in place and being honest about the scale of the challenge.
I understand that this statement today will be met with cynicism and anger, but I say with genuine pride and conviction that I believe we are finally starting to see real delivery. Tunnelling machines are currently working under Londoners’ feet to make HS2 to Euston a reality, and Birmingham’s skyline is changing before our eyes, with new film studios, a sports quarter and housing all being built around the new Curzon Street station. This is national renewal in action. When I last worked with Mark Wild and Mike Brown, we took the delayed and over-budget Crossrail project and turned it into the Elizabeth line, which has now served more than half a billion passengers. We have done it before, and we will do it again. I commend this statement to the House.
Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement.
The Secretary of State’s comments today demonstrate not only the challenges faced in the past and the reasons that action was taken to reduce the scope of HS2, but the significant challenges ahead if it is finally to be delivered. It is true that the early years of the HS2 project were beset with delay and cost overruns, with HS2 Ltd failing to maintain tight control of the budget and, frankly, the Department for Transport allowing it to get away with it. It was for that reason that the previous Government appointed Mark Wild OBE as the new chief executive of HS2 Ltd with the clear instruction to get a grip of costs and robustly oversee the project. It is apparent from today’s statement that HS2’s leadership under Mark Wild is taking those steps to try to achieve that.
Where there are actions that can reduce costs in the long run, the Opposition will clearly support them, but given concerns about trust in the project, I hope that the Government and HS2 Ltd will set out in detail how they believe these measures will save money and deliver even on this new extended timetable.
In addition, we have to acknowledge the deep-seated infrastructure challenges we face in this country. When the Prime Minister was campaigning during the last general election, we heard a range of promises about housing and infrastructure goals, but they completely foundered when they came into contact with reality. That is why the Opposition propose substantial changes to environmental legislation to give us the freedoms needed to cut environmental red tape, both for business and large infrastructure projects. Even the Prime Minister does not support regulations that lead to a £100-million bat tunnel—does the Secretary of State?
This issue must be addressed because the Secretary of State has made a number of strong statements. If she is angry, as she says she is, those statements must be backed up by consequential legislative changes that prevent cost overruns from occurring in future.
Turning to the specifics, I wish to press the Secretary of State on matters on which those in the sector have indicated they want assurances. For example, what do the new project cost figures include? Do they include all the rolling stock under the new plans? To what extent is funding for Euston included in the new estimates, and do they include signalling? Do the Government intend to set out precisely what is being funded and when the various elements will be delivered under their new timetable? Can the Secretary of State also explain what steps the Government have taken to improve HS2 Ltd’s performance on settling claims with those impacted by construction, since she has highlighted separately that this is an area that requires improvement?
Of course, HS2 does not operate in a vacuum. On the same day that this statement is being made to the House, it has been announced that Government pressure will result in one in seven rail services being cut on one of Avanti West Coast’s routes following a Government request to reduce expenditure. Given the comments made about the project, is it appropriate that services on the west coast will offer fewer services to passengers?
Ultimately, the Government are right to take steps to reduce costs on this project. Errors were made and should be rectified, and I am glad that the Government continue to support Mark Wild and his team as they work towards opening HS2.
Heidi Alexander
I am grateful to the shadow Rail Minister for his questions and the tone in which he presented his case. He was not quite as bombastic at the Dispatch Box as he normally is, so I can only assume that perhaps he was considering making an apology for the dreadful mess that the previous Government left this project in. I did not hear one, but I accept the manner in which he made his points. I do question where the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Holden), is today. This is not the first time that he has run scared from an oral statement, and I can only assume that it is because he is embarrassed by his party’s abject record on transport.
The hon. Gentleman talked about the appointment of the new CEO, Mark Wild, under the previous Government. I gently say to him that it is a bit like an arsonist demanding praise for calling the fire brigade. Let me quote what Mark Wild said about what he had inherited when he spoke to the Public Accounts Committee just days after he started in his job:
“we are in a completely unacceptable position…we have to acknowledge that HS2 has failed in its mission to control costs.”
The hon. Gentleman asked a number of specific questions, and I will answer them directly. He asks how reducing the speed to 320 kph will save money and ensure delivery. To be clear, that will mean that trains on HS2 are running as fast as bullet trains in Japan. We are making three scope changes in this announcement today: first, reducing the speed; secondly, reducing automatic train operation; and thirdly, ensuring that the signalling we put in on HS2 is aligned with the European train control system that is being rolled out on the trans-Pennine route upgrade and across the Network Rail system more broadly. We will depend on proven technologies; we are not taking a punt on world firsts. That is the way to reduce risk in the delivery of this programme and potentially reduce cost as well by up to £2.5 billion.
The hon. Gentleman asked me about bat tunnels. I can tell him that we are building no more bat tunnels on HS2 and that this Government have changed legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which could mean a different approach to protected species in future. I gently ask him who was overseeing the project when HS2 took the decision to proceed with the bat tunnel. It was not this Government; it was his Government, and we have taken actions to ensure that regulations in future do not get in the way of building the homes and infrastructure that this country needs.
The hon. Gentleman asked me specifically whether the revised cost ranges include a number of different areas. I can confirm that there is provision within this range for the delivery of Euston, though we have also gone out to market to attract private investment, given that in the 10-year infrastructure strategy we set out our ambition to deliver the new HS2 station through a public-private partnership. The signalling costs are also included in those cost ranges.
The hon. Gentleman rightly asked me what action HS2 is taking to improve its performance on settling claims on land and property. I know that there are very many hon. Members in this House whose constituents will have experienced frustrations in that regard. In the letter I recently wrote to the chair of HS2 setting out his priorities for the year, I was clear that I wanted greater attention on this area.
Finally, the hon. Gentleman asked me about some of the minor changes that Avanti West Coast has made recently to its summer timetable. It came to me with a proposition to better optimise its service pattern to meet the demand in the summer months. If we can save money because we are not moving trains around the country with half-empty carriages, as a responsible Government I think it is reasonable for us to look at that. On the timetable introduced on Sunday, we have seen significant enhancements, including additional seats on London Northwestern services between London and Birmingham. We are seeing the most regular Mid Cornwall Metro service in 60 years. Where his Government failed to invest in Britain’s rail network, this Government are doing exactly the opposite and ensuring that people across the country have the trains they need and deserve.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
I call the Chair of the Transport Committee.
Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)
I thank the Secretary of State for being honest with the House and for grasping the nub of the problem. We should not need the publication of the Lovegrove report or today’s statement to know that the cost and timetable overruns on HS2 started long before, because the previous Government wanted spades in the ground before the designs, costs and permits were ready. They then cancelled half the project, so we have the Aston to Old Oak Common project. I am glad that the Government picked that up and are moving ahead on the Euston element as well. We also had the Stewart review and the Oakervee report to tell us what went wrong.
My question is not actually on HS2, because the Rail Minister and the HS2 chief exec are coming to the Committee tomorrow, but on elements that are picked up in the Lovegrove report. What is the Secretary of State doing now to ensure that essential transport projects, starting with the lower Thames crossing and the Northern Powerhouse Rail project, do not go the same way? Will she assure me that she will not put on the high-vis and the hard hat for the photo opportunities until all the detail, permits and cost budgets are in place first?
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend the Chair of the Select Committee is right that the problems of HS2 were born many years ago. The fact that the civil engineering was delayed for four years is not the product of decisions by this Government or the current management of HS2, but is, as she says, about overly optimistic cost estimates, construction starting before designs were mature, insufficiently controlled delivery, poor contractual arrangements, gold-plating, and constant changes in policy and scope. She is entirely right on that.
My hon. Friend asked me what lessons we are learning about the delivery of future transport infrastructure. On Northern Powerhouse Rail, we have worked closely with local leaders to agree scope, priorities and sequencing in advance, so that we know what elements of the overall programme will be delivered first. We have set an overall budget cap for that, and are securing local contributions to ensure that we maximise the economic and regeneration potential of the new transport infrastructure in those places. We are learning the lessons.
Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)
I thank the Secretary of State for her candour on the scale of the HS2 disaster and for the specificity of the range of dates she provided. The Liberal Democrats certainly agree with her intent: we need to make the most of this shambles, and it would be better to do something with what has been built rather than scrap it and hope that doing so resets the past. It is also good news that the Secretary of State has outlined a commitment to proven technology, rather than the innovations of the future—warp drive and whatever else was being talked about before. In particular, the use of the ETCS for signalling is welcome.
We in this country know how to build high-speed lines, because we did it between London St Pancras and the channel tunnel at a reasonable cost. Of course, our French and Spanish allies also know how to do it. The high-speed line from Tours to Bordeaux in France took 15 years, including all the planning and construction. The Secretary of State highlighted Crossrail’s expertise on the expert panel, which is welcome, but is she sure that that expertise is the same as is needed in the more specialised case of high-speed rail construction? Is she confident that her expert panel has the specific high-speed rail construction and commissioning skills that we need, from either the UK or abroad, to turn the situation around?
Heidi Alexander
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his support for our overall approach. I am reassured that we have the capability and capacity that is needed in the executive leadership of HS2. That was not the case previously. A new financial director and new commercial director are in place, and I am reassured that the six new appointments to the HS2 board, which the new chair has led over the past year, have the right skills.
On the expert panel, I assure the hon. Gentleman that there are the multiple layers of assurance as regards the new plan and who has looked at it. We have real expertise on the third line of defence panel, including Kenny Laird, Andrew Paul, Rachel McLean, Colin Brown, Laurent Troger and Miles Ashley. We have also included a rep from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, and the project representative is involved as well. This is a substantial group of people, who are all putting their shoulder to the wheel to make this project a success.
Connor Naismith (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab)
The consequences of the Conservative party’s failure to manage this project effectively are nowhere felt more deeply than in Crewe and Nantwich, where jobs and regeneration benefits have been lost and Cheshire East council has £11 million in sunk costs. I welcome the shift in emphasis from speed to capacity, but the network between Birmingham and Crewe is at capacity now, let alone in 10 or 20 years’ time. Will the Secretary of State commit to looking more urgently at how we address capacity constraints between Birmingham and Crewe? Will her Department engage with Cheshire East council on its plans to mitigate its losses as a result of the decision to cancel the line in the midlands?
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend has been a great advocate for his constituents, and I totally agree that the focus now, as it should have been all along, is on delivering more seats, and more trains that run on time. We will conduct a further feasibility study on connectivity north of Birmingham. That will consider all options and the impact of each option on economic growth, housing, capacity on the rail network, journey times and resilience, as well as looking at how we might design, consent and fund any future specified scheme. I am willing to continue a dialogue with him about those issues.
Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
In her statement, the Secretary of State said that she was angry, and I can assure her that I have been consistently angry about this unaffordable, unwanted railway ever since it was green lit—angry on behalf of my constituents, who have to live in hellish conditions while it is constructed. Landowners are still waiting for payment for land taken, and our roads are churned up by construction traffic, and still unfixed. There is still not the money to deliver mitigation projects that were promised a decade ago. I heard nothing about any of those challenges in her statement.
May I ask the Secretary of State specifically about noise modelling? Modelling has found that in Wendover—where trains were already going to come through at 320 kph—hundreds of homes will face noise that is above the permitted decibel limit set down by the World Health Organisation. Will she commit to the Government fully remodelling the noise impacts on real people—certainly in Buckinghamshire—of the new speed that she has set for HS2, and come back to the House with a commitment that the noise level will not be above the level set out in WHO guidance?
Heidi Alexander
I appreciate that the hon. Gentleman’s Buckinghamshire constituents will have experienced considerable disruption to their lives as a result of this construction project, and I know that those who live nearest to infrastructure schemes tend to take more of the pain before the gain from the new service is delivered. I will look into the matter of the noise impacts of a lower-speed railway. My instinct is that the noise is likely to be less, but if what I learn is any different from that, I will write to him and let him know.
Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)
The Secretary of State will not be surprised to see me rise yet again to raise issues with HS2. She is right to be angry about the scale of the failings laid out in the reports published today. She is angry, and I am angry, but our anger pales into insignificance when compared to the anger of my constituents, who have had to fight for 17 years as a result of the failures of HS2 Ltd. We heard today in the announcement that we potentially face another 13 years before we even carry on with the work north of Curzon Street to connect to Handsacre junction—and all of that, by the way, is north of Birmingham.
The community is furious. My constituents are the most, or certainly some of the most, impacted by HS2. Just last month, the A38 going past Lichfield was closed, forcing 70,000 vehicles a day on to roads in the city. My constituents are fed up. Can the Secretary of State give some reassurance that the ongoing works at Streethay—that is one of only two places north of Curzon Street where work is continuing—will be completed on time, by October? What mitigations will the Department put in place for communities like mine, who are significantly impacted? By the sounds of it, it could be a third of a century from the start of this process before the trains actually start travelling through our part of the world.
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend has been a fearsome advocate for his constituents on this issue, and I know that he is meeting the Rail Minister later today to talk about the impact on his constituency.
I have heard nothing to suggest that the works at Streethay will not be delivered on time. If there is any new information that I have not been apprised of, I will come back to my hon. Friend and let him know. It is important that we continue with the works north of Birmingham up to Handsacre junction, because that is how HS2 will connect to the wider rail network. In the short term, this project will improve connections between London and Birmingham; in the longer term, this is about improving the frequency, capacity and reliability of connections to the north-west, and beyond to Scotland. I appreciate his constituents’ patience with this project, because it is in the national interest.
Sir Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth and Southam) (Con)
I have to say, I share a good deal of the Secretary of State’s frustration, not least because I was one of those who argued at the time that if the speed of the railway was reduced to roughly what she is proposing, it would open up a number of alternative route options, avoiding the open countryside that the line now cuts across.
Can I counter-intuitively ask her to be a little more ambitious, despite everything she has said about high-speed rail? She will recognise that the strategic benefits of high-speed rail, as they were put to this House originally, were about a nationwide network, not simply a line between London and Birmingham. Can she confirm that this Government—and future Governments, hopefully—will seek to expand that network, so that high-speed rail focuses not on going faster, but on going further?
Heidi Alexander
The right hon. and learned Gentleman makes a very interesting point. One of the things that I am most keen to do is ensure that the huge investment that we are putting into HS2 between London and Birmingham results in an improved passenger experience for people across the rest of the country more broadly. That is one of the reasons why, when we made the announcement about Northern Powerhouse Rail earlier this year, we also announced a feasibility study on a new connection between Birmingham and Manchester. While it is slightly too soon to get into the specifics of what that would look like, I can assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman that there is thinking and planning under way in the Department on ensuring that this investment unlocks the maximum benefit across the country.
John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab)
Given the huge sums that the Secretary of State is talking about, what I want to raise might appear relatively trivial, but for my community it is quite significant. We have a charity called Hillingdon Outdoor Activities Centre, which used a lake where local young people in particular could learn to sail and canoe. That lake was taken over by HS2 as part of the route and has not been available for six years. An alternative was not identified until very recently—again, that is part of the decision making on HS2. All the charity’s reserves have now gone, and staff are being laid off. Will the Secretary of State arrange a meeting for me with her officials and HS2, so that I can talk through the opportunities that there might be to assist the charity in continuing to provide an excellent service to our community?
Heidi Alexander
I would be very happy to ask relevant officers from HS2 to meet my right hon. Friend and look at options for the Hillingdon Outdoor Activities Centre. When I look at the scale of some of the structures being built on the outskirts of London—the 2.1-mile-long Colne valley viaduct, for example—it is evident what a huge and ambitious construction project this is. I am sorry that there have been some impacts on communities and community groups, and I would be happy to look at alternatives.
Sarah Green (Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
My constituents did not want HS2, and they have been putting up with the disruption of construction for years. Some of them warned that this would be a colossal waste of money, and they were right. This railway is costing nearly a billion pounds a mile. Every pound of cost overrun is a pound not spent on the local infrastructure that my constituents actually use and need. Given the Department’s complete failure to date to hold HS2 Ltd to account, what commitment can the Secretary of State give that we will not be here again in a few years’ time, talking about HS2 overspend?
Heidi Alexander
We have taken a different approach this time; our estimates are informed by the work done over the last five years. I am committed to ensuring that the scope remains the same, and that we do not have the chopping and changing that characterised the previous Government’s approach to this project.
Although I recognise that there will be some impacts in the hon. Lady’s constituency, this is a great engineering feat that we are involved in delivering. It will be the first new terminus station that this country has built in 125 years, and there will be new stations at Birmingham Interchange, Old Oak Common and Euston. Although I am always happy to talk to her about the local impacts, HS2 can provide very significant improvements to the rail network, and the Government are entirely right to be committed to completing this project.
Mr Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)
My Chesterfield constituents at one time hoped that they might be beneficiaries of HS2. That feels like many years ago. I share the Secretary of State’s fury about the incompetence that has got us to this stage. We would not have supported a programme like this, had we known that the line would go only to Birmingham. The line should be going to Manchester and Leeds, at the very least; any serious country that had high-speed rail would agree.
I am glad that the Secretary of State has laid out how she will get a grip on this, but I would like to add to what the right hon. and learned Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Sir Jeremy Wright) said: once she has demonstrated that this Government have got a grip of the costs and the timescales, can we be more ambitious and reopen discussions about extending the line beyond Birmingham, and up to Manchester and Leeds?
Heidi Alexander
As I said to the right hon. and learned Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Sir Jeremy Wright), in our announcement about Northern Powerhouse Rail a couple of months ago, we committed to doing a feasibility study on what a future link between Birmingham and Manchester might look like. We have not taken any decisions on the route, the specification, or the speed that the new line would facilitate. I recognise that there are significant capacity constraints north of Birmingham, but as we set up Great British Railways and renationalise our railways, I am keen to ensure that HS2 becomes the spine of the network and unlocks capacity, frequency and reliability improvements elsewhere in the country.
Joy Morrissey (Beaconsfield) (Con)
If the Secretary of State decides to scrap HS2 in a year’s time, or in a few months’ time, she will have my full support. What assurances can she offer on providing better services to our residents, on unpaid land claims and on the destruction of roads? In Beaconsfield, Marlow and the south Bucks villages, we have seen nothing from HS2 but a negative impact.
Heidi Alexander
I am keen that HS2 should always engage with the community and local businesses with care, respect and rigour. If that has not been the hon. Lady’s experience locally, I know that I and other Ministers will be only too happy to take that issue away. I am aware that she has an Adjournment debate on the matter later today.
I have to disagree with the hon. Lady on the idea that we should cancel the project. In his letter to my Department’s permanent secretary, the chief executive of HS2 made it very clear that cancelling this project and doing the necessary remediation could cost almost as much as completing the line. We would have half-completed structures strewn across the English countryside, and I am sure that her constituents would not wish to see that. That is why it is right to reset this project and to complete HS2, as I have set out today.
John Grady (Glasgow East) (Lab)
This shocking overspend is equivalent to more than £1,000 per household in the United Kingdom. Families in my constituency and across Britain work very hard to earn money to pay the bills and to try to have a reasonable standard of living. HS2 was meant to bring considerable benefits to the north of England and to Scotland; more reliable and quicker services to Glasgow and the west and central belt of Scotland; more passenger capacity and opportunities for people in the north of Scotland; economic growth; and the reduction of emissions by displacing flights. Will the Secretary of State agree to meet me to discuss what the long-term plan is to improve rail services between Scotland, the north of England and the rest of our family of nations, so that we have appropriate and reduced journey times, passenger capacity at an appropriate level and services becoming more reliable?
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend is right. This is shocking, and the truth of the matter is that this Government are picking up the bill for the mess created by the previous Government. I would be very happy to meet him to discuss how we can improve the capacity, frequency and reliability of services between England and his constituents in Glasgow, and I look forward to discussing that with him in more detail soon.
Seamus Logan (Aberdeenshire North and Moray East) (SNP)
I can sense the Secretary of State’s anger at the scale, width and depth of the failures in this project, but it was initiated in 2009, when Labour was in power. I am looking at the collective failure on both sides of the House. Labour Members are so quick to point out the ferries problem in Scotland, but it pales into insignificance before the scale of this incompetence.
The Chair of the Transport Committee, the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ruth Cadbury), said on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” programme yesterday that the most important thing is that HS2 will create a high-speed link between London and the north-west, and eventually to Scotland. Scottish taxpayers are paying for this folly. The Secretary of State can say the rest of the project will come in 2043, but will she explain when the project will extend to Scotland, as was suggested yesterday? How much more will we in Scotland be expected to pay? How many years after 2043 will it be delivered?
Heidi Alexander
I have been clear and remain clear that we will not extend HS2 north of the west midlands. When I made the Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement a couple of months ago, I announced that we will do a feasibility study about the longer term, after the delivery of HS2 to Birmingham and the delivery of east-west connectivity across the north of England through Northern Powerhouse Rail, and about how we can look to invest in improving the infrastructure between Birmingham and Manchester. That work will start this summer, and I am happy to keep the hon. Gentleman updated.
Josh Fenton-Glynn (Calder Valley) (Lab)
I welcome the clarity and determination to deliver on HS2. Rail investment is infrastructure investment, which drives growth, but may I urge the Secretary of State to look at driving growth between towns as well as between cities, for example by bringing lines such as the Calder Valley line into the 21st century?
Heidi Alexander
That approach certainly lies behind much of the work that we have done in our plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail. My hon. Friend will be aware that at the spending review we announced more than £15 billion for mayors in our city regions to improve connectivity between towns and cities, which are major centres of employment. His aspirations for his area and for his constituents align very closely with ours.
Saqib Bhatti (Meriden and Solihull East) (Con)
My communities in Balsall Common and Berkswell have taken huge amounts of pain since long before I was first elected in 2019. That pain has been exacerbated by the conduct of HS2 and its subcontractors towards communities. I have met Mark Wild, who knows my concerns about that. I take heart from the level of engagement he has given, and I hope that it continues.
One of the key issues affecting my communities is the land being taken by HS2 that is yet to be released, including around Arden Cross—a project worth hundreds of millions of pounds that includes a health campus and is in conjunction with the local mayor, local councils and the University of Warwick. I am told that it might take four years, but I think it could be done in two years. Will the Secretary of State take a look at this issue?
Heidi Alexander
I hope the hon. Gentleman is reassured that I am already looking at this matter and have discussed it with HS2’s leadership. My right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North (Liam Byrne) has certainly raised it with me as well. Where possible, I am keen to release land to enable development and regeneration and to unlock new homes and workspaces. If that can take place without compromising the delivery of HS2, I am keen that it should happen. A piece of work is under way within HS2 to look at the specific issues relating to Arden Cross.
Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)
I welcome the honesty and clarity, after years of sitting opposite the Conservatives and not knowing whether HS2 was happening at all, or where it would start and stop—it was going to be a Y-shape in the beginning. This is good news, in a way. I echo the praise for Mark Wild, who has met with my residents, and for Lord Hendy in the other place. However, for my residents in Old Oak Common—this fabled area that was once going to be the terminus—the ever-lengthening timeline is disappointing. Will the Secretary of State consider opening the Elizabeth line station a bit earlier? Some new builds, such as Oaklands Rise, were promised that there would be a brand-new station in 2026, so surely there should be something in it for them before 2039.
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend is right to highlight that development around Old Oak Common is proceeding in advance of the completion of the rail network. I am pleased that the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation has gone out to find a development partner to build 8,000 new homes in the area, with potentially 1,000 of them starting in this Parliament. We need to ensure that there is adequate public transport provision for any homes and development that happen to provide for new residents. I will take away her specific point about the Elizabeth line; I am not entirely sure of its feasibility, but I will come back to her with more detail.
Sarah Bool (South Northamptonshire) (Con)
Many farmers, small businesses and residents have had access to their properties disrupted by the construction of HS2. The Wilcoxes in my constituency have been battling for more than five years to get a simple deed of easement to guarantee access to their property. As a former property lawyer, I know that is a very simple document that should have been agreed; without it, properties become unmortgageable and unsellable. Will the Secretary of State set out what steps she is taking to ensure that these deeds of easement are entered into without further delay?
Heidi Alexander
I am sorry to hear of the situation that the hon. Lady describes. If she wants to write to me about that specific case, I will raise it with the leadership of HS2 for her.
Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) (PC)
I thank the Secretary of State for her honesty in coming to the House with this update. Wales is, of course, footing the bill for HS2, a project based entirely in England now costing up to £103 billion. While Scotland and Northern Ireland have their fair share of Barnett consequentials, Wales has nothing. People in Wales have had enough of being treated as second-class citizens—they recently elected a Senedd with a majority of Members within it committed to ending this injustice. Will the Secretary of State respect the wishes of the people of Wales and be open to talks with the Welsh Government on reclassifying HS2 so that Wales no longer pays for it, or at least gets its fair share of the Barnett consequentials?
Heidi Alexander
It is not true to say that Wales is getting nothing. At the spending review last year we announced £445 million in direct funding to modernise and upgrade Welsh rail, and only a couple of months ago, in February, the UK Government, with the former Welsh Government, announced a long-term pipeline of rail enhancements that could total up to £14 billion. I would be happy to discuss rail enhancements with the new leadership of the Senedd, and I look forward to having a constructive working relationship with the First Minister and his Cabinet.
Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)
Having chaired the all-party parliamentary group on rail for the last nine or 10 years, I have seen a procession of Ministers and officials come along and give reassurances such as those we have heard from the Secretary of State today. It is hard to believe that her successors will not come to the House in the distant future to talk about further resets of the project. Will the Secretary of State assure us that the spending on HS2 will not affect the announcement she made a few weeks ago about improving other rail services in the north? I know that she would be disappointed if I did not also mention the campaign by me and the Father of the House to improve services to northern Lincolnshire.
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Gentleman would expect me to have comprehensive discussions with my colleagues in the Treasury before announcing rail enhancements, and that is what we have done over the past couple of months, whether about Northern Powerhouse Rail—we set out those really ambitious plans at the start of the year—or indeed the anticipated profile of expenditure required over the next 10 years. I assure him that nothing I have announced today changes what I announced in January on Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD)
Before being elected to this place, I was a member of the independent panel for the community and environment fund and the business and local economy fund for HS2, which was responsible for disbursing funding to communities disrupted by the building of a whacking great railway line. Communities rightly and understandably get grumpy when large-scale infrastructure projects affect their communities but there is no obvious benefit to them—a railway line goes through, but there is no station for them to benefit from. What assurance can the Secretary of State give the House that she is looking at what can be learned positively from what has happened with HS2, and in particular at how we can strengthen and make clearer the link between community benefit and large-scale infrastructure projects when the immediate benefit is not obvious to those communities?
Heidi Alexander
One of the failings of HS2 has been to focus on the speed of the line and the four stations, when actually one of its major benefits is to free up capacity on the existing west coast main line between London and Birmingham to enable better regional services and to enable more freight to transfer from lorries on the road to the rail network. For too long the project has been about speed and not about seats and reliability. Through this reset, we are changing that. As I said earlier, we are determined to ensure that this will be the spine of the Great British Rail network that we will deliver as we renationalise the railways.
Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. It is outrageous to hear about the waste, with money thrown away by successive Conservative Governments. Even now, the eye-watering level of money required to reset HS2 grates on people up in Yorkshire and the north, where the northern legs were cancelled. We also get comparatively less funding per head for transport than counterparts in the south. Does she agree that the small amount of money to be saved from reducing the scope and speed would be better spent on schemes such as Northern Powerhouse Rail and reinstating the York area capacity scheme, estimated at only around £150 million, which would unlock the bottleneck at York station and deliver benefit across the north?
Heidi Alexander
I cannot spend the money twice. I have taken the decision to reduce the speed of HS2 to 320 kph, which we believe could save up to £2.5 billion and result in delivery a year earlier. Given how long people have been waiting for this new railway, I think that is the responsible thing to do so that people can get on these trains sooner than they otherwise would. I understand that the hon. Member is a fearsome advocate for those rail improvements for his constituency, and I am sure that we will talk about them more at the next Transport questions.
Shockat Adam (Leicester South) (Ind)
The truth of the matter is that despite spending over £103 billion of taxpayers’ money, my son has laid more rail track from his Lego set than the previous Government did under the HS2 programme. But seriously, whistleblowers have alleged that costs were deliberately hidden from Parliament, documents were shredded and staff who spoke out were sacked. Before another penny is spent by the British taxpayer, how will the Secretary of State ensure that in the future there are accountable binding mechanisms to stop contractors and executives from misleading the House again?
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Member is right to raise those important issues. We will always treat any whistleblowing complaints with the utmost seriousness. When it comes to fraud, I reassure him that, as part of the reset, HS2 is strengthening its counter-fraud capability and its internal controls and processes. When spending this amount of taxpayers money, it should be treated it as if it were our own, with the care and attention that we would apply to our own money. We are therefore taking all necessary steps to ensure that we strengthen the controls within the organisation to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
I thank the Secretary of State for reeling off a list of depressing dates in the far future, leading all but the youngest of us to contemplate our mortality. What is also depressing is the serious lack of investment in rail infrastructure in the north-west north of Manchester; it is an ongoing issue. I get that HS2 has sucked up money, energy and attention, but I wonder whether the Secretary of State might seek to put that right by being creative with use of the existing main line. For instance, will she work with Network Rail, me and Westmorland and Furness council to advance the cause for reopening stations such as Shap and Tebay, ensuring massively improved public transport links for rural north Westmorland?
Heidi Alexander
If the hon. Gentleman would like to write to me about the case for reopening Shap and Tebay, I would gladly consider that. We are reopening some rail stations across the north of England. The Northumberland line, which I visited at the start of last year, has been an enormous success, with new stations at places like Ashington and Blyth. We are investing in rail in the north of England—that was demonstrated by our commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail—but I am happy to look at the specifics of the scheme that he suggests.
Freddie van Mierlo (Henley and Thame) (LD)
I thank the Minister for delivering this really important update in the House, rather than at party conference as the previous Tory Prime Minister did. What has really struck me about this statement is that the cost of HS2 is now measured in the hundreds of billions, but what we are spending on active travel is measured in the hundreds of millions. I think the Government previously committed only £600 million until 2030 on active travel. Projects such as the Thame to Haddenham greenway would deliver an enormous benefit to my constituents. Will she reflect on the differential between how much is being spent on active travel and this project?
Heidi Alexander
I will gently correct the hon. Member. When it comes to HS2, we may be talking about tens of billions, but we are not talking about hundreds of billions. He makes a fair point about the importance of investment in walking and cycling. The Government are due to launch the third iteration of the cycling and walking strategy, and we are backing that with £600 million-worth of investment. We realise the benefits that active travel—people walking and cycling more, and using public transport —can have not just for people’s own health, but for the environment and the economy. It is something that the local transport Minister and I care deeply about and will ensure that we make progress on.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement, for her positivity and for trying to make matters better. She talked about maximising international standards and reshaping governance to find efficiencies, yet my constituents in Northern Ireland are facing critical infrastructure deficits of their own. If the fundamental reset is truly about driving economic growth and maximising value across the United Kingdom, will the Secretary of State please, very genuinely, explicitly outline how the billions clawed back from streamlining HS2 will be used to support Union connectivity and in particular air passenger duty, which hampers connectivity within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Heidi Alexander
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on levering in a question on air passenger duty into a statement on HS2.
The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
My hon. Friend is right; the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) never misses an opportunity. I am very concerned about ensuring that connectivity between the UK mainland and Northern Ireland remains and that it is reliable and affordable for people. I will be sure to talk further to the hon. Gentleman about what more can be done—aside from air passenger duty, which is a matter for the Treasury. If there is anything that my Department can do to improve the situation for his constituents, I will be only too happy to talk to him.
Better Connected: Integrated Transport Strategy
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
On 2 April the Government published “Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport” to deliver simpler, more reliable and better joined-up journeys for people across England.
For too long, the transport system has been fragmented, inefficient and difficult to navigate. Better Connected is a call to action for everyone who works in transport across England to work together to deliver a system that works for people, no matter their need, and one that supports our ambitions for economic growth and access to opportunity. Drawn from extensive research and engagement with the general public, transport workers, councils, businesses and transport organisations, Better Connected establishes a shared vision for transport, for it to work well for people, for it to be safe, reliable, affordable and accessible so they can get on in life and make the journeys they need to easily.
The vision is supported by three guiding principles that will underpin how transport is designed, built and operated. We will ensure that people are at the heart of everything we do, so the transport system serves them no matter their need or background. We will use transport to create better connected places across the country to ensure that communities can thrive. We will work in partnership across Government, with local leaders and the transport sector so that decision making is effective, collaborative and delivers the right outcomes for people and places.
Based on what people told us matters most to them, the strategy sets out our eight priorities for improving the transport system. These are simplifying payments and information, providing safer and more dependable journeys, making travel more accessible and affordable, creating healthier communities, aligning transport and development, championing data and technology, empowering local leaders and optimising decision making and appraisal. By delivering on these priorities with our trusted partners across the country, we want to create a transport network that works for people and places.
To support progress towards Better Connected’s vision, the strategy includes 40 new, fully funded commitments supported by the £30 billion settlement secured in the 2025 spending review. These actions will help modernise ticketing in more places, provide local leaders with the tools to deliver better transport for their areas, improve the quality of travel information and support smoother journeys for drivers. Delivery of these commitments and progress towards the vision and priorities will be monitored and evaluated with a progress update published during this parliament.
Better Connected builds on the major action already being taken to modernise transport and make it work better for people, including the creation of Great British Railways, investment in local roads and rolling out more electric vehicle charge points. As a step towards the strategy’s vision, we have already published updated local transport plan guidance aligned with the principles of Better Connected to help local leaders deliver the transport that is right for their communities. Together, working through a people-focused lens, the transport sector will give people across England a transport network that is reliable, accessible and fit for the future.
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East West Rail: Consultation
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
East West Rail is central to the Government’s economic growth mission and plans to unlock the potential of the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor. By delivering new east to west connectivity, EWR can support up to 100,000 new homes, connecting new and established communities with improved access to employment, training, and education. By 2050, EWR is expected to boost the regional economy by £6.7 billion every year.
Strong alignment across Government to positively plan for development will help to capitalise on the transformational growth opportunity presented by EWR. Where development is near to existing or proposed EWR stations, the Government expect local and strategic authorities and developers to maximise housing densities to unlock economic growth. This should be in a way that promotes sustainable transport modes and improves connectivity to jobs and services, consistent with “Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport”.
The first phase of EWR is nearly ready for opening to regular services. Contracting with the train operator, Chiltern Railways, was delayed by the general election in July 2024, and since its appointment in March 2025, it has been pursuing rolling stock modifications, the completion of the intermediate station, and staffing and training for service introduction. Freight and charter trains are already making use of the connectivity that this new route provides to the wider rail network.
On 14 April, East West Rail Company will launch a route-wide public consultation on future stages of the project as part of preparations for its application for a development consent order in 2027. This follows its “You Said, We Did” report from November 2025 and is expected to be EWR Co’s final public consultation ahead of submitting its DCO application, which will give it the authority to build the railway.
The updated proposals in the consultation reflect ongoing engagement with local communities and recent developments in the corridor such as the new Universal theme park at Stewartby. They include:
new station locations along the route, including at Tempsford, Cambourne, Cambridge East and on the Marston Vale Line, supporting opportunities for local growth;
a new approach to sequencing the project to bring forward transport and economic benefits at the earliest opportunity;
plans for more frequent services along the whole route, with up to five trains per hour in each direction and the potential for services to destinations further afield;
electrification of the railway between Oxford Parkway-Bicester Village and Bletchley-
Tempsford to support faster and greener services on EWR using hybrid battery-electric trains;
enhancements to existing stations on the route to improve facilities and access for local communities;
a road underpass to replace the level crossing at London Road in Bicester, subject to securing third party funding;
detailed changes to infrastructure design across the route responding to local feedback and updated proposals on maintenance depots to support future operations.
These proposals underline the benefits EWR will bring to communities along the route. The launch of this consultation reinforces the Government’s commitment to their growth mission, realising the full potential of the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor by supporting jobs, housing and economic activity.
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Oral Answers to Questions
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Peter Prinsley (Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
On behalf of the Government, may I associate myself with your remarks about David Winnick and extend our condolences to his family?
Bringing Greater Anglia and other east of England train operators into public ownership will put passengers first. Since coming into public ownership in 2025, both Greater Anglia and c2c are delivering some of the lowest cancellation rates in the country, while new stations and upgrades across the region are improving reliability and accessibility as we move towards an integrated, passenger-focused rail network.
Peter Prinsley
I am grateful for that answer. Greater Anglia has consistently been at the top of the performance scale for our railway operators, but could the Secretary of State tell me whether the nationalisation of the railway will lead to the increased likelihood of a much better commuter service between Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge, which is presently only an hourly service, and what the prospect is of a direct train line from Bury St Edmunds to London?
Heidi Alexander
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his advocacy on behalf of his constituents and those using rail services in his area. I can assure him that Greater Anglia continually looks for opportunities to improve service frequency. Services will be strengthened for customers and communities on regional routes, including in the Stowmarket area, in the new timetable from Sunday 17 May. As we work towards the establishment of Great British Railways, we will continue to look for further opportunities to strengthen services.
Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
Nationalisation was supposed to put local communities in touch. Grimsby is the largest town in the east of England without a direct train to London. We have been campaigning for one for years, and now the Secretary of State has written to me to say that we are not going to get the train because of accessibility problems in Market Rasen station. It is ludicrous to spend £15 million on extending a platform that does not need to be extended and building a bridge that does not need to be built. What does the Secretary of State want me to do? Does she want me to get on my knees and beg for this train? Let me do so now—[Laughter.] My hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) and I have been campaigning for this for our local community for years.
Heidi Alexander
I think that is possibly a first for the Father of the House, and it underlines the strength of feeling that he and his constituents have about improved rail services. He is right; I did write to him on 17 March and confirmed that while we could run trains without major infrastructure changes, we would have to find additional funding to support the necessary service pattern changes. For LNER services to call at Market Rasen, significant upgrades would be needed to the station to enable safe and compliant operation.
Dame Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)
Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)
The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
This Government are taking significant action to make journeys safer and smoother, while helping motorists to save money. We are investing £27 billion in motorways and trunk roads, and a record £7.3 billion to fix potholes and resurface local roads. We have extended the fuel duty freeze, launched a fuel price finder and introduced a £2 billion grant to support motorists who want to go electric. I know that events in the middle east will be unsettling for many, but I can assure the House that we have strong and diverse fuel supplies in the UK, and we will stand by the British people in the face of international turbulence.
Charlie Dewhirst
Anyone who has been to the pumps in the last couple of weeks will have felt the pain of price rises. I do not blame the Secretary of State for that—obviously, international events have taken over—but can she guarantee the House that there will be no further rise in fuel duty for the remainder of this calendar year?
Heidi Alexander
The Government have already taken significant steps to keep the costs of motoring low, extending the fuel duty cut that was due to end this month until September and launching the fuel finder tool. Together, those measures will save motorists £129 compared with previous plans. We will monitor developments in the middle east closely, and I repeat what I said in my original answer: we will stand by the British people in these times of international turbulence.
Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
The costs of motoring are going up for everyone later this year because of the choices of this Labour Government. A set of motorists who are too often forgotten are those who drive our heavy goods vehicles and light goods vehicles; as the Chair of the Transport Committee, the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ruth Cadbury), said in an earlier question, they are suffering because of their rest facilities. In particular, we are seeing increasing fuel thefts from our hauliers. Freight crime is an incredibly serious matter. Will the Secretary of State set out clearly what she is doing with urgency to support our hauliers, who keep our economy quite literally moving, and to get the facilities they need that will not just give them good rest space, but keep them safe?
Heidi Alexander
Secure, high-quality parking facilities and truck stops for HGV drivers are a part of that. I know that my colleague the Minister for Local Transport, formerly the Roads Minister, has met colleagues in the Home Office a number of times so that haulage firms and logistics companies can be sure that their vehicles are safe and their fuel supplies are secure.
Mrs Elsie Blundell (Heywood and Middleton North) (Lab)
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
We are empowering the Mayor of the West Midlands to deliver the better, more reliable connections that communities in Dudley need and deserve. Mayor Richard Parker is already putting the £2.4 billion in more flexible, integrated funding that we are providing to good use, delivering on transformative local priorities such as metro expansion, bus franchising and light rail.
Sonia Kumar
For far too long, communities across the Black Country have had to put up with poor transport links. That is why the long-awaited opening of the metro station later this year is such welcome news for people and businesses in Dudley, even after delays. This key investment will help bring visitors to Dudley High Street and drive the renewal of our town centre, but our area desires one more project. What further investment will the Department for Transport commit to bringing to Dudley? Will the Secretary of State commit to attending the opening of the metro? I am happy to treat her to some orange chips from Dudley.
Heidi Alexander
The metro’s expansion represents a major boost for growth in Dudley and the west midlands, delivering fast, affordable and reliable connections to Birmingham, Wolverhampton, the Black Country and beyond. Together with the Dudley interchange, it will transform local transport, unlocking access to jobs, education and new opportunities for the community. I very much enjoyed my last visit to Dudley and the Black Country Living Museum, and I will certainly ask my office to check my availability for the opening of the metro.
Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)
Emma Foody (Cramlington and Killingworth) (Lab/Co-op)
The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
The Government are today announcing one of the biggest ever investments in England’s major roads. That £27 billion spread over five years is a down payment on better motorways, smoother journeys and less congestion across the country. We will finally kick off dualling the A66 between Cumbria and north Yorkshire and unlock private investment to deliver the transformational lower Thames crossing. We will renew and repair our main highways with a record £8.4 billion of investment. But that is not all. Today I am giving the green light to 16 local road schemes that previous Governments left in limbo, including the Norwich western link, the Wigan east-west link, the A650 Tong Street in Bradford and the A259 south coast road in Brighton. We will get these projects built, strengthening local economies and breaking down barriers to opportunity. For too long, this country failed to tackle its crumbling infrastructure. This Government are putting our money where our mouth is, with fewer potholes and quicker journeys. We are building a road network that people and businesses can finally rely on.
Emma Foody
The Secretary of State and others in this place will be aware of my campaign for investment in the Moor Farm roundabout. The current situation causes misery for local people and is choking investment not just in my constituency, but across the north-east. I have held debates, asked questions, and had meetings with Ministers and National Highways. In fact, I have spoken about it more than 50 times in this place, but I am feeling lucky today. Does the Secretary of State have any update on my campaign to secure the crucial upgrades?
Heidi Alexander
I am delighted to confirm that improvements to the A19 at Moor Farm have been included in the pipeline of schemes that we have asked National Highways to develop for construction. I thank my hon. Friend for her tireless advocacy on behalf of her constituents, and for making such a strong case for this scheme in particular.
Mr Richard Holden (Basildon and Billericay) (Con)
In September last year, the Secretary of State told the House:
“I know the importance of the fuel duty freeze”.—[Official Report, 11 September 2025; Vol. 772, c. 1031.]
That was when diesel and petrol were significantly cheaper than they are today. Why is Labour hiking fuel duty by 5p a litre this September?
Heidi Alexander
We have extended the fuel duty cut, which was due to end this month, until September, and we have launched the fuel finder tool. Together, they will save motorists £129 compared with previous plans.
Mr Calvin Bailey (Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
Heidi Alexander
I have visited Stanmore station, and I understand the difficulties that are presented to the hon. Gentleman’s constituents. We are investing in the Access for All scheme nationally and, as he has indicated, Transport for London is investing in his constituency too. We are ambitious in this space, because the railway should be there for everyone. It should be an inclusive service that we offer to the entire country.
Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood) (Lab)
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)
Heidi Alexander
The right hon. Gentleman raises an interesting question, but I reassure the House that, in our many conversations with airlines and airports in recent weeks, we have not been told of any immediate disruptions to jet fuel supply. However, we will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with airlines and jet fuel suppliers to understand what mitigations may be required should any disruptions arise.
Callum Anderson (Buckingham and Bletchley) (Lab)
Heidi Alexander
I sympathise with the frustration of local residents. I am as keen as they are, and as I know my hon. Friend is, to see services start on that section of infrastructure. I know discussions continue between Chiltern and the trade unions on operational arrangements and the preparatory works to trains and stations. I assure him that, as soon as we have a start date, he will be the first to know.
Jo White (Bassetlaw) (Lab)
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests showing that, last summer, Hull Trains paid for 32 teenagers to travel to London to attend my parliamentary summer school.
This time last year, I was advocating for more connectivity for my constituents by backing the application from Hull Trains for a service between Sheffield and London King’s Cross via Worksop and Retford. Despite my disappointment at the refusal, I am keen that companies such as Hull Trains continue to make open access bids. How will Great British Railways ensure independent oversight, and what resources will the Office of Rail and Road be given to guarantee transparency and independence in the decision-making process?
Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD)
My constituent Nawaz has been in touch with me with real concerns about the financial impact that roadworks are having on his small business. He may be entitled to compensation if the roadworks are caused by gas or water companies, but not if they are works by telecoms or electricity companies. The impact on local businesses and constituents is the same whether roadworks are for cables or for pipes, so could the Department look at that discrepancy?
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Lady will know that roadworks on local roads are the responsibility of each local highway authority. As she says, there are some specific routes for businesses to claim losses when the works are carried out by utilities such as gas or water companies. If she has proposals for a wider scheme and would like to write to me about them, I will consider them.
Sir Christopher Chope (Christchurch) (Con)
Can the Secretary of State tell us what the Government are doing to address the problem of number plate fraud? Number plates are being falsely registered to wrong addresses by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, vehicle number plates are being cloned, and false number plates are being used, all of which is contributing to an increase in petrol theft from our forecourts. What are the Government doing about it?
Alistair Strathern (Hitchin) (Lab)
Rail users at Hitchin and Arlesey stations in my constituency have to put up with services that simply are not reliable enough. I am glad that, after pushing the operator, Ministers and officials, we have been able to drive up driver recruitment and secure crucial investment to upgrade the back-up signalling capacity that has caused a lot of disruption over the past 12 months. With the operator coming back into public ownership later this year, what further steps can we take to finally give my constituents the rail service they deserve?
Heidi Alexander
Thanks to my hon. Friend’s steadfast support, major works are under way: renewing electrification, installing axle counters and improving drainage to prevent flooding. Those upgrades will boost Thameslink’s reliability, including for services to his constituency. I can also tell him that driver numbers have risen by 50 since July 2024. We will continue to press Govia Thameslink Railway to strengthen performance and cut cancellations.
John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)
I continue to hear from residents and businesses about the timetable changes at Berwick-upon-Tweed station, in particular the loss of many direct services from Berwick down to London. What economic assessment is the Department undertaking of how those changes are working?
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Gentleman is right to reflect on the fact that a reliable and frequent train service is important to economic growth. I would be happy to speak about the detail of those particular changes with the Rail Minister and come back to him, including on whether there are any potential mitigations we could bring in.
Emma Lewell (South Shields) (Lab)
Heugh Street bridge in South Shields was closed over four months ago by the council, as it deemed it to be unsafe. It was used by over 5,000 vehicles per day and the closure is damaging my local economy. The council is currently unable to give any timescale for reopening the bridge and I am led to believe there is no funding for it to do so anyway. Can my hon. Friend the Minister please assist us in any way at all?
Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)
I again thank the ministerial team for what they have done to get the midlands rail hub project so far along so quickly, with funding now unlocked for the west and central sections, but the east section is dragging ever so slightly behind. Will they look again at whether the south Staffordshire line can be included in rail hub east, to unlock the wonderful benefits of cross-regional travel via that line for my constituents and those in Uttoxeter and Derby?
Heidi Alexander
I was grateful to my hon. Friend for his time a couple of weeks ago, when we discussed this matter. He is right to highlight the transformative benefit of the midlands rail hub expanding capacity into Moor Street station. I will come back to him on the potential around the south Staffordshire line.
Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)
The Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is tinkering with the Department for Transport’s highways funding ratio, reallocating about £4 million from North Yorkshire to the city of York. When North Yorkshire council has already lost the rural services delivery grant, how can the Minister think that is fair?
Third Road Investment Strategy
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
I am pleased to inform the House that the Government will today publish the third road investment strategy. Backed by over £27 billion of investment over five years, this will support our drive to deliver the biggest overhaul to transport in a generation.
The investment delivers on the Government’s ambition to kick-start economic growth, supporting living standards and jobs. The roads that form our strategic road network are the key economic arteries which keep people and goods moving throughout the country. Keeping them flowing supports mobility and jobs, and helps to boost essential sectors like manufacturing, construction and retail. Overall, RIS3 is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs, bolstering supply chains across the nation and helping British businesses.
The strategic road network is a critical national asset, and our priority is to ensure that it remains a network which people and businesses can rely on for decades to come. RIS3 therefore includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment in renewals to strengthen the performance and long-term resilience of the network through replacing structures and worn-out road surfaces, as well as modernising roadside technology to support safe, smooth journeys.
It also includes £3.8 billion of targeted enhancements to tackle pinch points and unlock national, regional, and local economic growth and housing opportunities. These improvements will benefit the whole economy, tackling capacity issues as well as improving safety and journey time reliability.
In the north, the strategy commits over £4.4 billion to key enhancement and renewal schemes. This will support the Government’s northern growth strategy and complement investment across other modes such as Northern Powerhouse Rail. Enhancement schemes include upgrades to the A66 northern trans-Pennine route, which plays an essential role in connecting people and places across the north and is critical for freight and links to international ports.
The midlands is at the heart of the country’s connectivity, and investment to upgrade the A46 at Newark will support sectors such as logistics and manufacturing, which are dominant in the local economy and reliant on roads for growth, as well as improving access to Humber ports.
Elsewhere, the lower Thames crossing will be the most significant road-building scheme in a generation. It will provide a significant boost to the UK economy, easing congestion at the Dartford crossing, strengthening connectivity across the UK to major ports, and improving resilience and reliability for all road users.
RIS3 will contribute to the ambitions set out in the recently published road safety strategy to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads across Great Britain. It includes a safety national programme to deliver targeted safety improvements on major A roads with poor safety performance such as the A1 between Morpeth and Scotland, and it sets National Highways a stretching target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on its roads.
It also includes a small schemes national programme aimed at reducing congestion to unlock economic growth, and a new growth and housing accelerator fund to help unlock development sites where infrastructure is currently a constraint.
It balances the requirements of the network with our obligations to the environment, and includes programmes to improve water quality, reduce noise exposure and support biodiversity, as well as to tackle air quality issues on the network. It includes a performance indicator for National Highways on litter collection, and includes a commitment to explore options to give National Highways new powers as a litter enforcement authority when parliamentary time permits.
Major road network and large local majors programme
I am also today making an announcement on schemes in the major road network and large local majors programme, further to my statement to the House on 8 July 2025. The previous Government left us with an unrealistic and unaffordable programme of schemes which we have had to review in the best interests of local and national taxpayers.
I am today able to confirm that my Department will continue to support 16 of these schemes across the country, with the details set out on gov.uk. In total this represents a Government funding commitment of around £1 billion, subject to each scheme securing the necessary business case and other approvals in due course. Each of these schemes has the potential to deliver benefits such as unlocking housing and economic growth and reducing congestion at key locations. Funding for each will be conditional on their satisfying the Department that they have an acceptable business case.
Many of the other schemes that formed part of the review are being withdrawn on the grounds that the local authority can no longer afford its funding contribution, and my Department is confirming the details of these with the relevant authorities. In respect of the remaining schemes, the Department is finalising the way forward and will announce next steps in the early summer.
[HCWS1466]
Rail Reform: Wales and Borders Area
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
I am publishing, alongside the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, the memorandum of understanding provided for under clause 24 of the Railways Bill. The publication of this MOU marks a major milestone in the delivery of rail reform and demonstrates our shared commitment to deliver a simpler, better and more integrated railway for the Wales and borders area.
This MOU reflects the strong and constructive collaboration that has taken place between the UK Government, the Welsh Government, Network Rail and Transport for Wales. Our officials and delivery bodies have worked closely and positively throughout its development, underpinned by a strong relationship between UK and Welsh Ministers. We have moved from a shared ambition to building a practical shared approach to the delivery of rail services and infrastructure in Wales and its border regions. The MOU reflects the priorities and ambitions of both Governments, establishing a clear foundation for how we will work together to deliver the railway in Wales and the borders into the future.
The MOU sets out a clear framework for how our Governments will collaborate in the delivery of a more integrated, user-focused railway, with transparent roles, responsibilities and governance. It empowers joint working between TfW and Great British Railways, supports empowered local decision making, and provides a platform for more coherent system planning and improved outcomes for rail users.
Key elements of the MOU include:
Shared objectives and funding period planning for the Wales and borders area—A commitment to develop and publish a set of shared objectives for each funding period, establishing a jointly shaped strategic direction for rail delivery in the Wales and borders area.
Access, use and whole-system planning—Commitments to ensure that decisions on access, capacity and charging reflect the shared objectives and recognise TfW’s multimodal responsibilities. This will allow GBR and TfW to plan together more effectively and support a seamless passenger experience.
GBR Wales and borders/GBR Cymru a r Gororau—An empowered, locally focused corporate structure within GBR, aligned closely with TfW and operating with clearly delegated authorities. This is a significant step in delivering a more joined-up system that reflects the needs of Welsh passengers and cross-border communities.
Partnering arrangements between GBR and TfW—A commitment to develop a formal partnering arrangement between GBR and TfW to support integration of track and train, reduce interface complexity, and promote a more coherent and responsive railway.
Cross-border services—A clear framework for developing, managing and funding cross-border services collaboratively, ensuring continuity, transparency and shared oversight of changes that affect communities on both sides of the border.
Core valley lines (CVL) interface and simplification—Shared ambition to reduce unnecessary regulatory complexity on CVL, and a commitment to develop jointly agreed interface arrangements that support smooth operation of CVL and the rest of the rail network.
Governance of enhancement investment—The continued recognition of the Wales Rail Board as a strategic forum for reviewing funding, business plans and delivery of enhancements; reflecting the continuing maturity of Welsh rail delivery capability.
The publication of this MoU represents the culmination of months of intensive, collaborative work. It signals the strong and practical partnership that will underpin how our Governments deliver rail reform in Wales and the borders. It offers greater transparency for Parliament, the Senedd, industry and the public, setting out clearly how each Government will work with their respective delivery bodies and with each other.
Looking ahead, Network Rail and TfW will now begin work on developing a formal partnering arrangement on behalf of GBR, building on the commitments in this MoU, to allow for closer joint planning, clearer accountability, and stronger alignment across infrastructure and train operations. This work, coupled with the shared objectives for the next funding period, will support the delivery of a more integrated railway that meets the needs of passengers and communities across Wales and the bordering regions of England.
This MOU represents a significant step forward in the journey to deliver rail reform across Great Britain, and to address the existing challenges faced by the Wales and borders railway both now and in the future. We are confident that the MOU will provide a basis for deeper collaboration between the UK Government and the Welsh Government—and, in future, between GBR and Transport for Wales. It will improve reliability and performance, strengthen cross-border connectivity, and deliver a modern railway that better serves passengers and freight and the communities in the Wales and borders area for decades to come.
[HCWS1461]
Rail Infrastructure
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
Today I am publishing this Government’s latest report to Parliament on High Speed 2. Overall spend to date (£ billion) 2025 to 2026 budget (£ billion) 2025 to 2026 forecast (£ billion) 2025 to 2026 variance (£ billion) HS2 Programme Total 43.6 7.1 7.0 0.2 Civils 30.7 5.5 5.4 0.0 Stations 2.9 0.6 0.6 0.0 Systems 2.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 Indirects 4.1 0.4 0.3 0.0 Land and Property 3.7 0.2 0.2 0.0 Former Phase 2 2.6 0.1 0.1 0.1 Overall Total 46.2 7.3 7.1 0.2
When I was appointed Secretary of State, I was clear that significant change was needed to bring HS2 under control. The history of the programme has been characterised by spiralling costs and ever-shifting timelines, in significant part due to past mismanagement.
As I set out in my statement to Parliament in June last year, I gave the new CEO of HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild, a clear task: to reset HS2, bring an end to constant cost increases and delays, and deliver the remainder of the programme safely and at the lowest reasonable cost.
Since then, the scale of the challenge in resetting this programme has become even clearer. Mark Wild’s work on the reset has shown that HS2 Ltd did not have an accurate assessment of how much work had been delivered, or of how much was left to do. It is now clear that previous plans significantly underestimated the work required.
Mark Wild and HS2 Ltd have been working closely with my Department and other partners in Government over the past year to assess the remaining scope of work, and to estimate thoroughly how long it will take and how much it will cost to complete the project.
I am determined to explore every opportunity to remove the over-specification and complexity from this project, in order to bring down costs and delivery timelines. This will ensure that the updated cost and schedule estimates are robust, rather than rush the process and risk publishing figures that we do not trust. As such, today I am publishing an interim report, with a more detailed update on the progress of the HS2 reset to follow shortly.
I have commissioned Mark Wild to assess how much money and time could be saved by adopting a specification for HS2 that is more in line with the high-speed railways successfully delivered by the rest of the world. This could involve relying on proven technology and reducing the top operating speed of the railway in line with HS1 and other European counterparts.
On current specification, HS2 trains will run at 360 kilometres per hour, which would make them the fastest conventional high-speed trains anywhere in the world.
The definition of high-speed covers trains running at least 250 kph. China and Spain have the highest design speeds of 350 kph. The maximum commercial passenger speed on the UK conventional rail network is 200 kph, and HS1 runs at 300 kph.
However, no railway in the UK, or globally, is currently engineered for 360 kph. This means that the project would have to wait for HS2 tracks to be built before testing any trains—an approach that could increase costs and delay the completion of the project. The alternative would have been to send trains abroad to test on an existing track running at that speed.
Mark Wild’s initial and provisional estimate is that a specification at reduced speeds could save in the low billions and bring the railway into service sooner, by reducing risk in the delivery of the programme and its testing. However, in learning the lessons of the past, I am eager not to make this decision prematurely; I have asked Mark Wild to report back to me before the summer recess, and I will be considering his advice carefully.
The Government will reflect on the early outcomes of this work, alongside progress on engagement with HS2 Ltd’s main suppliers, ahead of publishing the new cost and schedule estimates once they have been fully assured and approved. It is clear that this review of specification and the wider reset are not going to undo the failures that have led to this point, but they will set a realistic and controlled path to completing the remaining work.
At the same time, I am pleased to report early signs of improvement following a productive year of delivery. Civils works are now at maximum effort and collective action is helping to drive up productivity and safety. The excavation of the HS2 tunnel to Euston has now started following the launch of the final two tunnel boring machines on the programme. Following his appointment as the new chair of HS2 Ltd last summer, Mike Brown has made rapid progress in reshaping the organisation’s board, bringing in new skills, expertise and capability.
Looking ahead, our focus remains on finalising the updated cost and schedule estimates and progressing the reset to address the difficult position that we inherited. This includes reshaping HS2 Ltd and continuing to engage with suppliers to review contracts, implement the recommendations of James Stewart’s independent review and deliver the railway safely and at the lowest reasonable cost.
Delivery control and expenditure
While the reset progresses, the Department will continue to manage HS2 Ltd through strengthened in-year controls and a yearly performance management plan that includes challenging construction targets and performance metrics to deliver within annual budgets. This plan has worked well, with productivity up in almost all sectors of construction.
These strengthened controls will remain as long as needed, determined by the improved performance and capability of HS2 Ltd and the adoption of a new cost and schedule baseline. When HS2 Ltd achieves sufficient capability to consistently deliver to the new baseline, the Department will be able to transition to a more permissive and flexible sponsorship model.
This year, HS2 Ltd has rescheduled some work with the aim of focusing construction efforts on delivering the opening stage of the railway, between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street.
To the end of February 2026, £43.6 billion—nominal prices—had been spent on the HS2 programme. This is provided in more detail in the financial annex, based on data provided by HS2 Ltd.
Spend to date information covers the period up to the end of February 2026. Unless stated otherwise, all figures are presented in nominal prices.
Delivery progress
Delivery progress has historically been poor on some key areas of civils construction. Performance has started improving and the past six months have seen good progress in the delivery of HS2’s civil engineering works. Notably, the Align joint venture, responsible for delivering civil infrastructure on one of the central sections of the HS2 route, is nearing the completion of their major assets. HS2 Ltd will continue working with the main works civils contractors to improve delivery so that the programme can progress to the next stage.
August 2025 saw the completion of construction on the Chiltern tunnel. Boring of the tunnel was completed in 2024, and since then work had been under way on the porous portals, cross passages, emergency walkways, and finishing works. As well as being complex, at 10 miles, it is the longest tunnel on HS2’s route.
All major deep-bore tunnelling between Old Oak Common in London and Birmingham Curzon Street was completed in October 2025, when the breakthrough of tunnel boring machine Elizabeth concluded the excavation of the Bromford tunnel. This marks a significant milestone in the construction of the railway.
In January and March, the final two tunnel boring machines of the programme, Madeleine and Karen, were launched to excavate the twin-bore tunnel between Old Oak Common and Euston in London. Progress on this section of the route makes good on the Government commitment to bringing HS2 into central London.
Six major milestones on tunnels and roads have been completed ahead of in-year schedule, including the sliding of a road bridge for the A46 over the HS2 route in April 2025, the installation of precast beams and overbridges over Station Road near Calvert in August 2025, and the second breakthrough on the Bromford tunnel in Birmingham in October 2025. The north portal structure at the Chiltern tunnel was completed in 12 months, several months faster than the south portal, thanks to lessons learned and innovative construction methods. The excavation of the 8.4-mile Northolt tunnel, the second longest on HS2, was completed on schedule in June 2025 despite complex ground conditions.
Since July 2025, major progress has been made on earthworks. As at February 2026, over 108 million cubic metres of earthworks has been completed across HS2’s civils construction, representing around 70% of the total planned quantities. In August, more than 1.7 million cubic metres of spoil was excavated, filled and processed in our Greatworth to Southam sites alone.
In August 2025, a 112-metre bridge was moved over Lawley Middleway in Birmingham. To minimise disruption to road users, the 1,631-tonne bridge was constructed on land over the span of two years, before being rotated 90 degrees and carefully lifted over the road.
In September 2025, a key construction milestone was achieved as the Colne Valley viaduct, the longest rail bridge in the UK, became structurally complete following the placement of the final deck segment.
Safety remains our top priority in the construction of HS2. In October 2025, following an incident on site, all works across the London tunnels section of the route were brought to a safe stop to allow for a comprehensive safety review to be conducted. While no one was harmed in the incident, HS2 Ltd remains committed to the health and safety of everyone working on its sites. By mid-November all sites were able to reopen, with enhanced procedures and protocols implemented to ensure that all works resumed safely.
Ground investigation works at Interchange station are complete, in advance of detailed design commencing early this year. In order to formulate and advance plans for commercial development at Arden Cross, the area around the new station, engagement with local stakeholders and landowners continues.
Initial utility diversions are continuing for the automated people mover along the route with the first completed in October 2025. Once complete, the Mover will enable passengers to travel seamlessly from Interchange station to Birmingham airport.
At Birmingham Curzon Street station, the last of the 2,011 concrete piles, which form a key part of the foundation for the station, were completed in March. Work on the infrastructure required for the Midland Metro Alliance to deliver the Birmingham Eastside tram extension is progressing well, ahead of the first phased handover of the site to Transport for West Midlands in September 2026. HS2 Ltd and the Midland Metro Alliance are leading workshops over the future operation of the live tram through the Curzon Street site to maintain a collaborative approach and ensure lessons continue to be learnt as delivery progresses.
Work progresses on the six high-speed platforms at Old Oak Common, alongside work on six of the eight surface-level platforms that will serve the Great Western main line, the Elizabeth line, and Heathrow Express. Meanwhile, work continues on a complex sequence of critical utility works to the west of the station site. Key utility diversions are expected to complete this year.
Rail systems contracts for track, signalling, communications and power supplies commenced in February 2025. We have amended the schedule of work to support the wider reset, which has slowed initial mobilisation. However, this will then be followed by a period of design, and development of an integrated schedule for the deployment of railway systems. Work will not start on site until civil works have been completed. This is learning from the premature start of main civil works on HS2 as well as from previous projects such as Crossrail, where systems installation started before civils had finished.
Procurement of the Washwood Heath Depot continues.
As HS2 Ltd has further developed the operational design of the railway, it has become clear that platform-edge doors, which are screens along platform edges to safely separate passengers and trains, are no longer technically viable. Therefore, the procurement was abandoned via a contract notice in July 2025. The tender for the train dispatch system, which is the system to ensure the safe departure of trains from stations, has also been amended to remove the interface with the platform-edge doors.
Fraud investigation
In my previous report, I referred to allegations of fraud made in relation to an HS2 labour supplier. Upon completion of an investigation by the main contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci, the contract of this labour supplier was terminated in July 2025. HS2 Ltd formally referred the matter to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and has since concluded its own wider investigation of all labour-only subcontractors. I have been clear that such allegations need to be investigated rapidly and rigorously, and I am glad to see that swift action was taken.
Community impacts, land and property
HS2 Ltd continues to inform and involve communities who are impacted by construction. Between April and December 2025, over 15,000 residents were engaged at over 1,700 meetings and events. A further 22,000 enquiries were received via the HS2 Ltd help desk, which operates 24 hours a day.
During the same period, HS2 Ltd received 1,067 complaints, the vast majority of which continue to relate to the impacts of construction, including concerns about traffic and transport disruption, and noise and vibration impacts. HS2 Ltd is committed to resolving complaints promptly. Of the 1,067 complaints received, HS2 Ltd resolved 100% of urgent complaints within two working days and resolved 98% of all other complaints within 20 working days or less.
Successful deployment of the £40 million community and environment fund and the business and local economy fund has now passed the halfway point. This is a significant milestone and means that, as at February 2026, over £21.1 million had been invested in communities and businesses that have been demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2, delivering over 379 projects that will leave an enduring legacy.
We understand the continuing impact that HS2 is having on those who live or have businesses on or near the route. In previous reports we have recognised the need for HS2 Ltd to make faster progress in settling claims and resolving other issues affecting people whose land has been acquired or possessed for the project. While HS2 Ltd has increased the rate at which claims on phase 1 are being settled, we have made it clear to the company that further improvement is needed. On the former phase 2a route, we recognise the concerns that have been expressed regarding the quality of communication from HS2 Ltd and a lack of progress in resolving land issues. We have made it clear to HS2 Ltd’s leadership that performance in this respect needs to improve, and we will be scrutinising the measures taken by the company to address these concerns.
Financial annex
Historic and forecast expenditure
The information on HS2’s overall spend to date and budget is now being provided in nominal—cash—terms following a commitment made by the Department to the Public Accounts Committee to express the costs of the programme in a more up-to-date price base and better capture the inflation incurred since 2019. The Government provided further details of the 2025 to 2026 position in cash terms as part of the standard supplementary estimates report to Parliament.
This is expressed in nominal prices, including land and property.
[1] The figures set out in the table have been rounded to the nearest £100 million to aid legibility. Due to this, they do not always tally.
[2] Spend to date includes a £0.5 billion liability (provision) representing the Department’s obligation to purchase land and property.
[HCWS1433]
Court Case on Gatwick Airport Development Consent Order: Disclosed Documents
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)
On 19 February I wrote to the judge hearing the above claim in respect of my ongoing duty of candour in those proceedings. Year Disclosed figures (MtCO2e) Corrected figures (MtCO2e) Difference (MtCO2e) 2033 32.9 33.3 0.4 2034 32.3 32.6 0.4 2035 31.6 32.3 0.6 2036 31.1 32.1 1.0 2037 29.9 31.6 1.7 Average 31.6 32.4 0.8
Pursuant to an order of the Court from 10 December 2025, on 12 December 2025 I approved the disclosure of a number of documents that related to forecasts of greenhouse gas emissions from aviation. The documents were produced to fulfil a request from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and supported preparation of the Government’s carbon budget and growth delivery plan.
The information contained in the disclosed documents was not relevant to my original decision to grant a development consent order for the expansion of Gatwick airport, as the decision-making process for considering development consent orders requires me to consider published policies and relevant legislation. The disclosed data did not represent final policy and were produced solely for the purposes of discharging the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero’s duties under the Climate Change Act 2008.
During the process of updating the Department’s aviation model in preparation for the development of new forecasts to support the setting of carbon budget 7, and the quality assurance processes involved in this, officials in the Department identified that the disclosed data contained a small error. I have apologised to the Court and the parties and submitted a statement from a senior official in the Department to explain the error and correct our position. Those parts of the documents previously submitted that require updates to remedy the error were also provided.
The error came from the incorrect application of fuel efficiency measures—and therefore incorrect emissions values—to next-generation planes that were modelled as flying beyond their standard operating range. This meant that in the small number of cases where an aircraft is modelled as flying beyond its optimal range, its emissions values were wrong.
As a result of this correction, the headline difference between the average annual total aviation emission figures as provided to the Court and the corrected figures for the CB6 period is an increase of 4.1 MtCO2e over the five-year carbon budget 6 period—i.e. with an annual average difference of 0.8 MtCO2e. The table below shows the corrected figures, which have been subject to enhanced quality assurance procedures and checks:
The Department’s quality assurance processes are fully aligned with the Government’s AQuA book—the quality assurance guidance—but I have asked my officials to strengthen our current practices further.
This small error does not affect the decision I have taken. This is because I maintain to the Court that the information contained in the disclosed information was not material to the decision at the time, and even if it had been taken into account, it is highly likely the outcome of the decision would have been the same.
With regards to the CBGDP, my officials have informed DESNZ officials of the error. DESNZ has confirmed that the error, which represents 0.5% of the required additional carbon savings from the baseline projections for carbon budget 6, is marginal. The CBGDP remains the Government’s extant plan to meet carbon budgets.
[HCWS1348]
Transport
Heidi Alexander Excerpts(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Mark Pritchard
Could the Secretary of State reassure all my businesses and constituents in the Wrekin that there is no conflict of interest between Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road when deciding these applications?
Heidi Alexander
…I can also assure him that in the past I have been as supportive, from the Department for Transport, as Network Rail has been of the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and the west midlands, and I will maintain my support for the proposals going forward.
[Official Report, 12 February 2026; Vol. 780, c. 909.]
Written correction submitted by the Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Swindon South (Heidi Alexander):
Heidi Alexander
…I can also assure him that in the past I have been supportive, from the Department for Transport, of the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and the west midlands, and I will maintain my support for the proposals going forward.
Topical Questions
The following extract is from Transport oral questions on 12 February 2026.
Martin Wrigley
Roadworks in my constituency are causing traffic hell, and residents have had enough. With the two-year closure of the A382 for much-needed work, utilities companies are taking advantage by doing roadworks everywhere, and the county council is powerless to cause them to co-operate and co-ordinate. What does the Secretary of State suggest I say to my residents, whom I am meeting this evening?
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Member may wish to tell his residents about the Government’s determination to tackle these issues. For example, we have doubled the fines that local authorities can charge utility companies when works overrun. I recognise how disruptive these works are for local communities, and it is an issue that the Government take very seriously.
[Official Report, 12 February 2026; Vol. 780, c. 918.]
Written correction submitted by the Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Swindon South (Heidi Alexander):
Heidi Alexander
The hon. Member may wish to tell his residents about the Government’s determination to tackle these issues. For example, we have doubled fixed-penalty notices that local authorities can charge utility companies and extended overrun charges. I recognise how disruptive these works are for local communities, and it is an issue that the Government take very seriously.