Construction of HS3 could potentially reduce the costs of HS2, suggesting a sequential approach to high-speed railway expansion.
The UK's infrastructure project, HS2, with a projected cost of over £100bn, has been a subject of intense debate and concern. Initiated by the UK government, particularly under the Department for Transport, the high costs of the HS2 project have mainly been attributed to project management, design changes, and political decisions.
Originally intended to increase capacity, the HS2 project evolved into a vision for the best and fastest high-speed railway in the world. However, this ambition has come at a steep price, leading some to question the value of its increased speed.
Comparatively, if the HS2 project had copied the template for the TGV or ICE, billions of pounds could have been saved. The Ford Model T, one of the top-selling cars in the 20th century, serves as a prime example of cost efficiency. The manufacturing process became so efficient that the list price decreased by half between the first and last vehicles produced in 1924.
The HS2 project's top speed of 225mph, intended to make European counterparts feel impressed, has now become the fastest in Europe, as China has already reached 240mph. Yet, this speed has raised questions about the project's primary purpose, which was initially to increase capacity.
Needlessly complex planning regulations also contribute to the high costs of the HS2 project. The Stewart Review found that the cost increase was due to HS2 becoming a vision to build the best and fastest high-speed railway in the world, rather than simply increasing capacity.
The development of novel engineering techniques and designing new trains account for a significant portion of the HS2 project's costs. However, once the line opens, the design work may be abandoned, resulting in a significant waste of resources.
The high costs of the HS2 project have raised concerns about future high-speed rail projects, with politicians vowing "never again." Fortunately, the construction costs of future projects such as HS3 or HS4 would be significantly lower due to the completed design work of the HS2 project.
Despite the controversies, the HS2 project was not always intended to be this way. Instead of copying the template for the HS1 route to Dover or France's TGV, Britain's planners wanted HS2 to have a top speed of 225mph. However, the project's costs have ballooned due to its ambition to be the best and fastest high-speed railway in the world.
In conclusion, the HS2 project, unlike HS1 and France's TGV, aims to have a top speed of 225mph. Yet, the question remains whether this speed justifies the tens of billions spent on high-speed rail design, with the most likely outcome being that the resources spent will be largely wasted.
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