HS2 Changes Will Not Prevent Future Capacity Expansion, Says Mark Wild

HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild has insisted that proposed changes to the high-speed rail project, including lower operating speeds and the removal of Automatic Train Operation (ATO), will reduce costs and delivery risks without limiting future capacity upgrades.

The comments were made in a letter sent to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander outlining a series of recommendations aimed at resetting the long-delayed and increasingly expensive rail scheme.

Lower Speeds to Reduce Cost and Complexity

Under the revised proposals, HS2 trains would operate at a maximum speed of 320km/h (200mph) instead of the originally planned 360km/h (225mph).

Wild argued that the original target exceeded the operational speed of any railway currently in service worldwide, whereas 320km/h reflects the standard maximum speed used across many modern European high-speed networks.

According to Alexander, the lower speed would significantly simplify testing and reduce overall project risk while still allowing HS2 trains to rank among the fastest in Europe.

She told Parliament the changes could deliver savings of up to £2.5 billion and potentially shorten delivery times by at least a year.

Automatic Train Operation Removed

Wild also proposed removing ATO from the initial HS2 design, describing it as an unnecessary and highly complex “first-of-a-kind” technology for a high-speed railway.

ATO would have enabled HS2 to operate up to 18 trains per hour under the original plans. However, HS2 Ltd now believes it is unnecessary for the revised operational requirement of 10 trains per hour.

Instead, the railway will use a proven version of the European Train Control System (ETCS), already being deployed on major UK rail programmes such as the East Coast Digital Programme and the TransPennine Route Upgrade.

HS2 leadership believes using existing and already-certified technology will accelerate delivery while reducing technical uncertainty.

Future Capacity Still Possible

Despite removing ATO and lowering operating speeds, Wild stressed that the revised scope would not block future governments from increasing network capacity later.

In a separate letter addressing concerns around long-term operational flexibility, Wild stated that systems such as ATO or other driver-assistance technologies could still be introduced in the future if train frequencies above 12 trains per hour became necessary.

He said HS2 Ltd’s assessment concluded that the proposed changes “do not preclude the path to 16 trains per hour for future administrations”.

Construction Progress Continues

Wild described the proposed modifications as among the “biggest opportunities” to improve confidence in delivering HS2 while reducing overall project complexity.

Construction activity across the route is now well advanced, with the majority of core civil engineering works either complete or underway.

Current progress figures include:

• 87% of viaducts under construction or completed

• 78% of bridges underway or complete

• 87% of cuttings progressing

• 77% of embankments in development

HS2 Ltd also confirmed that more than 100 million cubic metres of earthworks have already been carried out, alongside the construction of 45 viaducts, 132 bridges and four major tunnel drives covering 46 miles.

Opening Dates Push Further Into the Future

The revised timeline indicates HS2 services between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street are not expected to begin before May 2036, with the opening window stretching into late 2039.

The extension into central London at Euston, together with the Handsacre Junction connection to the West Coast Main Line, is now projected to open between 2040 and 2043.

The rolling stock programme remains unchanged at present, with 54 trains of 200 metres in length still planned. HS2 Ltd said the first trains will be needed approximately four years before passenger services begin in order to complete testing and safety certification.

Cancellation Rejected

Both the government and HS2 leadership strongly rejected suggestions that the project should be cancelled altogether.

Wild argued that terminating a programme of HS2’s scale would itself carry enormous financial and technical consequences, particularly given the extent of works already completed.

He estimated that cancellation and site remediation costs alone could range between £33 billion and £58 billion, adding that dismantling partially completed infrastructure could in some cases prove more complicated than constructing it in the first place.

According to Wild, many of the structures already built are designed to remain operational for at least 120 years, making removal a highly complex undertaking.