HS2's original plan relied on a railway signalling system that didn't exist

HS2 will use the European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling, with the confirmation framed as an administrative update. A later revelation from the Rail Minister stated that the original approach was to develop a new automatic train-operating signalling system that did not yet exist. The statement came during a parliamentary Transport Committee meeting focused on turning around the troubled HS2 project. The minister described the project’s current position as disastrous for a project at that stage. HS2’s CEO reported confidence that the announced cost range of £87 to £102 billion can be met, covering trains, stations, and signalling from Euston to Handsacre Junction. The plan relies on improved civil engineering cost experience, flattened management layers, and lessons from Crossrail. Costs continue to rise, with about £16.6 billion attributed to inflation over five years.

"That revelation came from the Parliament's Transport Committee meeting, which was looking into the much-troubled HS2 project and how it will be turned around. In his opening remark at the meeting, the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said bluntly that the situation they find themselves in with HS2 is a "disastrous place to be with a project at this stage", which is a comment few would disagree with."

"That was until this morning, when the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, revealed that the original plan was for HS2 to effectively invent a brand-new automatic train-operating signalling system that didn't yet exist. That revelation came from the Parliament's Transport Committee meeting, which was looking into the much-troubled HS2 project and how it will be turned around."

"HS2's CEO, Mark Wild, joined in December 2024 and has spent much of the time since then resetting the project, reviewing its work, and renegotiating contracts. He said he is now confident that the cost range of £87 to £102 billion announced on Tuesday can be met. That is for everything from Euston to Handsacre Junction - including trains, stations and signalling."

"Part of his confidence, he said, was that after five years of work, they have much more experience of what future civil engineering costs should be, making cost predictions more realistic. Another change is that they've flattened the management layers, so there are fewer assurance layers, but staffed with greater expertise. That was one of the findings from the Crossrail project - too many layers meant bad news often didn't reach the top, where it needed to be fixed before it became serious."

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