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HS2 Euston alternative team continues fight for station rethink

Euston Express team of Lord Berkeley and Jonathan Roberts promise revised petition against additional provisions to HS2 Bill that will follow two speed station plan launched by HS2 last week.

HS2 Euston

The team behind an alternative scheme for Euston’s HS2 station are continuing their campaign for a rethink by the project team, despite the announcement last week of a revised two speed approach to constructing the proposed terminus.

Lord Berkeley and Jonathan Roberts of Euston Express have  launched a “Report on Euston Express” underlining that the alternative scheme would save Government £1.5bn to £2bn, can be completed more quickly than the HS2 scheme, and puts HS2 and WCML services into the existing station, with three or four platforms created where there are currently wide spaces.  

The paper was prepared before changes announced by HS2 Ltd last week could be analysed however.  

“I urge ministers to ask HS2 to adopt this cost effective scheme and, hopefully, reduce time both of the Select Committee hearing petitions, and in the construction of the project.” - Lord Berkeley

Euston Express has said it will respond to the new information as quickly as possible. “It is likely that this will form part of a revised petition against additional provisions in the HS2 Bill," it said.

The revised HS2 Ltd  scheme will see the station developed by HS2 project in two phases rather than one, taking up until 2033, with six new HS2 phase one platforms constructed on a redeveloped site to the west of the existing station by 2026 ahead of further work to complete the station redevelopment and provide capacity for HS2 phase two. The £2.25bn cost includes everything required for the HS2 scheme terminus but does not include the cost of Network Rail’s plans to redevelop the wider Euston Station complex which have yet to be determined.

Euston Express said its scheme would be fitted into the existing railway and station width.  A deck over the platforms would provide space for passenger facilities, and some tracks would be extended southwards towards Euston Road to allow for the longer HS2 trains and in the future longer WCML trains,” it explained

Euston Express would link Old Oak Common by a shorter tunnel emerging near Queens Park Station within the WCML boundaries, and all trains would then use the existing WCML tracks into Euston, following almost universal continental practice of high speed lines using existing classic lines for the last few miles into city termini, to avoid the massive disruption and cost of pushing new lines through sensitive urban city environments

“For Euston Express, there would be no need to demolish large residential and business areas west of the approaches or near the station, and the years of construction interference, including 680 trucks a day taking spoil out of the excavations, would be avoided” Lord Berkeley and Roberts explained.

“This a scheme that will work, saving Government £1.5bn to £2bn, and reduce disruption to passenger and residents during the construction,” Lord Berkeley said.

“I urge ministers to ask HS2 to adopt this cost effective scheme and, hopefully, reduce time both of the Select Committee hearing petitions, and in the construction of the project.”

 

 

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