The government is considering reducing the operating speed of HS2 trains as part of a wider effort to contain costs and avoid further delays to the troubled high-speed rail project.
Ministers are expected to order HS2 Ltd to examine the feasibility of operating trains at speeds below the originally planned maximum speed of 360 km/h (224 miles per hour) on the route between London and Birmingham – a move that could save billions but would dilute one of the program’s defining features.
The proposal is part of a broader review led by Transportation Minister Heidi Alexander that is examining options to bring the project back under control after years of cost overruns and delays.
The total cost of HS2 is now expected to exceed £100 billion at today’s prices, with the completion date for the first phase from London to Birmingham likely to go beyond the current target of 2033.
A long-awaited “reset” plan being developed by Chief Executive Mark Wild is set to include a revised schedule and budget, although its release has been delayed until after the May election.
Wild, who previously led the Crossrail project, was brought in to stabilize the program and restore confidence after the government described the scheme as an “appalling mess”.
HS2 was originally designed to be one of the fastest conventional railways in the world, with a maximum operating speed of 360 km/h. However, achieving and validating these speeds presents significant technical and financial challenges.
Testing trains at full speed would require either a dedicated test track or a fully completed railway line. Both options could add years to the project duration and further increase costs. As an alternative, testing trains abroad is being considered, possibly in China, where suitable high-speed infrastructure already exists.
In contrast, reducing the initial operational speed could simplify testing requirements, reduce technical complexity, and speed delivery, but at the expense of overall lead times.
By comparison, most UK rail services travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h (125 mph), while high-speed services on the HS1, the Channel Tunnel route, reach up to 300 km/h.
The potential shift highlights the ongoing tension between performance ambitions and fiscal realities. While HS2 was designed to be a transformative high-speed network connecting London with major cities such as Manchester and Leeds, the northern sections of the project have already been scrapped, significantly limiting its original vision.
Under current plans, Birmingham to Manchester trains will continue north, using existing infrastructure on the West Coast Main Line and running at slower speeds than on the purpose-built HS2 route.
Critics argue that further compromises could jeopardize the project’s value proposition, while supporters say pragmatic adjustments are necessary to ensure completion.
The review comes as key construction milestones, including tunnels, viaducts and earthworks, continue to progress along the route, even though the project is still years away from operational readiness.
The Government is under increasing pressure to demonstrate that HS2 can be delivered within a realistic budget and timescale, particularly given wider budget constraints and competing infrastructure priorities.
While reducing train speeds is politically sensitive, it is emerging as one of several options being considered to get the project back on track.
Whether this compromise proves acceptable will depend on how it balances cost savings with the original promise of world-class high-speed rail – a question that is likely to shape the next phase of HS2 development.
