Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has tasked HS2 to explore options to remove complexity that could cut billions in costs and reduce delays for the project.

The move comes as part of the government’s reset of the high-speed rail line to ensure more trains and faster journeys are delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible, following years of mismanagement.

As part of his comprehensive reset of the project, HS2 CEO Mark Wild will explore other high-speed options for the railway, to save taxpayers money and reduce construction time.

This includes HS2’s 360km/h specification. Ministers say no railway in the UK, or globally, is currently engineered for 360km/h meaning HS2 would have to wait for tracks to be built before testing any trains – an approach which could increase costs and delay the completion of the project.

The government believes dropping to a more proven high-speed standard in the 300-320km/h range would have “negligible” impact on projected journey times and get passengers onto trains sooner.

Details of the project reset had been due this month. After investigating further opportunities to bring down costs and delivery timelines, Wild will report back to the transport secretary before the summer recess, which begins on 17 July, alongside a progress update.

Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “This government is determined to deliver HS2 as effectively and efficiently as possible. In doing so, I will look at every opportunity to claw back construction time, save taxpayers money and ensure the project delivers for the country.

“I share the public’s anger about the waste and mess of the past which is why this government is pulling HS2 out of its sclerosis and setting it on a more sensible course. We’re getting a grip, controlling costs, and getting on with delivering the transport infrastructure this country needs.”

Mark Wild, chief executive of HS2, said: “I made a commitment to the transport secretary that I would regain control of HS2 and bring an end to the project’s cost increases and delays.

“With performance moving in the right direction, driven by the hard work of 30,000 people on the ground, we are rightly exploring options to create further efficiencies.

“Speed has never been the primary objective. This railway will deliver better journeys, more capacity on the network, and economic growth – all of which are vital to the country’s future prosperity.”

Wild said six construction milestones had been delivered ahead of schedule over the last year, including completion of excavation of the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel in the West Midlands – marking the end of excavation for all 23 miles of deep tunnels on the opening stage of the railway.

Progress has also been made on the Northolt Tunnel. The last of four tunnel boring machines lifted out of the ground at Green Park Way in West London after excavating an 8.4-mile long tunnel between West Ruislip and Old Oak Common, three months ahead of schedule.

In the latest HS2 report to parliament, figures showed to the end of February 2026, £43.6bn had been spent on the high-speed rail programme.

To read the report, click here.