HS2 has confirmed that work on the Euston tunnel is on hold.
The paused 7.2km tunnel runs from Old Oak Common in West London to Euston.
HS2 will now focus on the delivery of the section of the line between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Streets with the Euston section to be completed at an unconfirmed later date.
A spokesperson for HS2 said: “Since the Government announcement to prioritise the delivery of HS2 between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street we have been working on the detail of which works will be deferred.
“We can confirm that there are impacts to the works being delivered under the Main Works Civils Contract, awarded to Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, specifically the section between Old Oak Common and the Euston Approaches.
“The two TBMs building the tunnel on this section from the Old Oak Common Box towards Euston were scheduled to begin in 2024, but this is now deferred.”
However, work on the Atlas Road Logistics Tunnel – between Old Oak Common station site and the Atlas Road site in North Acton – which is a precursor to this work, and was launched last week, will continue.
A giant 847-tonne Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is being used to create the Atlas Road Logistics Tunnel, as reported here, which won’t be used by HS2 trains, but instead will be used to deliver materials and remove spoil from the site where HS2’s Euston twin bored tunnel will be constructed.
The TBM will build an 853-metre logistics tunnel, which will reduce lorry movements by 70,000 during construction, and is expected to be completed in around six months.
The spokesperson added: “The preparation works for the launch of the two TBMs will also continue.”