Review begins into Euston design

A study into simplifying the approaches to the HS2 station at Euston is under way as part of an overall review of the design and construction efficiency of the station, Baroness Vere told Lord Berkeley on November 9.

In a Lords Written Question, Berkeley had asked about the decision to pause the development of HS2 Phase 2B and to reduce the maximum number of trains on Phase 1 from a planned 18 per hour to ten, and whether there were plans to review the approaches to Euston as a result of this (as well as the option of terminating all ten HS2 services at Old Oak Common).

Vere explained that the trunk section of Phase 1 is being built with the capability for up to 18 trains per hour and that Government remains committed to bring high speed to the East Midlands, Yorkshire and beyond.

“The Integrated Rail Plan will consider how Phase 2b of HS2 can be delivered with other major rail investments in the North and Midlands to ensure these are scoped and designed as part of an integrated network, and to make sure people see the benefits of better services more quickly,” she wrote.

Vere added that advice from HS2 Ltd was that no more than 6tph could reliably be operated from Old Oak Common within the existing station design, and that there were no current plans to consider terminating all HS2 trains there.