HS2 services to and from the new Old Oak Common station being built near East Acton are not expected to begin operating before 2036 — and could be delayed until as late as 2039 — under revised timelines revealed by the government.
The delay was announced as part of a major “reset” of the troubled high-speed rail project by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, who said HS2 had suffered from years of “mismanagement, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight”.
Ms Alexander said: “The mismanagement of the project under previous governments has been completely unacceptable.”
The government also acknowledged spiralling costs linked to the scheme. HS2 was originally estimated to cost around £37.5 billion when plans were first announced, but ministers said the projected cost has now risen to as much as £102.7 billion.
Old Oak Common will become the temporary London terminus for HS2. Ministers said the first services between Old Oak Common and Birmingham are now expected to begin between 2036 and 2039, while the full line through to Euston is not expected to be completed until between 2040 and 2043.
The huge station development near East Acton is expected to become one of the UK’s largest transport hubs, linking HS2 services with the Elizabeth line, Great Western Main Line and Heathrow connections.
Construction is continuing at the site, where six underground HS2 platforms and eight surface-level platforms are being built.
