HS2’s eastern to be scrapped while northern railways get £100bn November 14, 2021 Transport secretary Grant Shapps is expected to face criticism over the rumoured decision to scrap HS2’s eastern leg that would connect Birmingham to Leeds. Announcing the outcome of the Rail Integrated Plan on Thursday, Shapps is likely to confirm the decision, while setting forth an almost £100bn investment in the English railway network, the Sunday [...]
HS2 blamed for shortage in construction industry’s key concrete supplies October 31, 2021 Builders have blamed HS2 for hoovering up key construction supplies before ordinary customers can get to them, resulting in industry-wide concrete shortages and rising prices. The UK’s flagship rail project is exacerbating global supply chain issues caused by a HGV driver shortage and international shipping delays, construction firms have warned. As a results, builders working [...]
Campaigners granted High Court hearing over HS2 tunnel row October 26, 2021 Environmental campaigners are set to go to the High Court on 28 October over the impact of an HS2 tunnel in the Chiltern Hills. The environmentalists have sought legal action to save the River Misbourne, asking for the HS2 bore tunnel not to be constructed on the site. According to campaigners, the methods and risks [...]
HS2 trains on Yorkshire leg will run on existing track as part of government scaling back October 24, 2021 As part of the UK Government’s scaling back on the HS2 project, high-speed trains will run on existing tracks between Yorkshire and the Midlands, the Independent reported exclusively. In addition to a station in Leeds, the government is said to build only a new line to connect the city to South Yorkshire, leaving high-speed trains [...]
‘Euston seven’ who lived 31 days in HS2 tunnels have all charges dismissed October 7, 2021 Seven Londoners who lived in a 100 ft network of tunnels under Euston Square Gardens for 31 days to stop HS2 have had all charges dismissed, the group told City A.M. this morning. The defendants were part of a group of nine people, aged 16-48, who occupied the tunnels between 27 January and 27 February [...]
Future of HS2 uncertain as Grant Shapps will not ‘blindly follow’ decades old-plans October 4, 2021 Speculation over the future of the eastern route of the HS2 is mounting after Grant Shapps said he is not planning to “blindly follow” plans dawn up 20 years ago. In an interview with the Financial Times today, the Transport Secretary signalled that a major rethink of the high-speed rail project between Birmingham and Leeds [...]
Northern leaders call for government to commit to HS2 in full as axe hovers over eastern leg August 26, 2021 Politicians and business leaders in the north-east of England have said that the eastern leg of HS2 to Leeds is essential to “levelling up” the country after reports emerged that the extension was set to be mothballed. A new report from the High Speed Rail Group called the delivery of the leg from Birmingham to [...]
HS2 to support 4,000 more jobs than first forecast August 24, 2021 The building of the controversial HS2 rail link will support 4,000 more jobs than previously expected, the government has today said. According to a new report from the body behind the project, HS2 will now support 34,000 jobs in total. Of the new roles, Phase 2a – linking the West Midlands to Crewe – will [...]
Kier group ‘moderately ahead of expectations’ after attempts to slash debt July 13, 2021 Infrastructure services and construction group Kier, which worked on London’s HS2, has finished the year “moderately ahead of expectations”, it said today. The group has been on the receiving end of hefty government contracts, namely a £1bn prisons contract for the Ministry of Justice, for the year ending 30 June. Kier had also accepted a [...]
HS2 faces new legal challenge from Siemens over £2.8bn contract July 1, 2021 HS2 has reportedly been hit by another legal challenge, this time by German industrial group Siemens, over a £2.8bn contract to build trains for the new rail link. The new lawsuit comes just days after the firm behind the project confirmed it had settled a previous dispute with Spanish firm Talgo out of court. The [...]