HS2 Roadworks Blamed for Millions of Hours of Driver Delays

Construction work linked to HS2 has caused major disruption on parts of England's road network, with analysis suggesting drivers and passengers may have lost around 200 million hours in traffic delays since work began.

According to analysis of Department for Transport data reported by the Daily Telegraph, more than 160 sets of roadworks on major A-roads and motorways have been associated with the high-speed rail project since 2017.

The disruption has affected key parts of the strategic road network, including stretches of carriageway from Buckinghamshire to Staffordshire. Roads linked to HS2 works are used by tens of thousands of vehicles each day, meaning even short delays can quickly build into significant lost time for motorists.

Contractors carrying out work that affects England's trunk roads must submit traffic management plans to National Highways. The first HS2-related entry identified in the analysis dates back to November 2017, when lane closures were planned on the A46 between Stoneleigh and Kenilworth in Warwickshire.

Since then, traffic management associated with the project has appeared repeatedly across the network. At peak periods, multiple HS2-linked roadworks were taking place at the same time, with eight separate works reportedly active simultaneously in early 2022 and again in March 2024.

The Telegraph calculated the total delay by using official roadworks impact categories, which estimate whether disruption is likely to be slight, moderate or severe. Using the lowest delay estimate in each case, and applying average vehicle occupancy data, the analysis suggested the cumulative impact could amount to around 200 million hours lost by road users.

The figure relates only to disruption on the strategic road network. The total could be higher if delays on local roads, rural routes and residential streets affected by HS2 construction were also included.

The findings add to ongoing scrutiny of HS2, which has faced repeated criticism over cost increases, delays and disruption to communities along the route.

Originally proposed in 2009, the project was intended to significantly increase rail capacity between London and the Midlands. However, the timetable for delivery has slipped repeatedly, with completion now expected much later than originally planned.

HS2 has said construction activity is currently at its peak, with hundreds of active sites across the route. That means road disruption linked to the programme is expected to continue for several years.

The Department for Transport rejected comparisons between local road delays and the wider benefits of HS2, arguing that the analysis does not reflect the long-term purpose of the scheme.

A DfT spokesperson said HS2 is primarily designed to provide much-needed additional capacity on an overstretched rail network, adding that its wider economic and transport benefits were not captured by the methodology.

The spokesperson said: "This analysis is simply not comparing like with like. Local road delays and intercity train journeys are completely different things and cannot be meaningfully compared in this way."

The latest figures are likely to fuel debate over the balance between short-term disruption and long-term infrastructure benefits.

For communities, motorists and businesses affected by construction traffic, closures and diversions, the impact of HS2 is already being felt on the road network. For supporters of the project, however, those impacts must be weighed against the scheme's future role in expanding rail capacity and improving national connectivity.

With construction set to continue for years to come, the question is not only how much disruption HS2 has already caused, but how effectively remaining works can be managed to reduce delays for road users while the project moves towards completion.