Brits who regularly commute will see their journey times drastically cut once building is complete for a huge 3.5mile underground tunnel – with connections to a major UK city. The HS2 Bromford Tunnel is being built under Birmingham, with plans for the 140-mile line to be situated between London and the West Midlands. The project to build the high-speed rail line entered the new year strongly, with officials saying “the prize is clear”.
The tunnel will help passengers slash their journey times between Birmingham and London. Officials hope the project will also help “boost economic growth” and said it will be a “significant investment in Britain’s future.” It comes after the development was earlier hit with delays and increasing costs. Bromford tunnel was initially meant to launch in 2026, but now people won’t be able to use it until 2029 at the earliest.
Despite the project falling behind schedule, Mark Wild, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, said it is important that the railway opens “safely and efficiently”. Last month, HS2 Ltd estimated the cost of building the railway would be between £54 and £66 billion in 2019 prices – between £67 and £83 billion in current prices.
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People are working around the clock to complete the work
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But appearing before the Commons Public Accounts Committee, the Department for Transport’s top civil servant Dame Bernadette Kelly said these figures were not “reliable” and an agreed estimate was unlikely to be produced until “well into 2025”. Mr Wild, who joined HS2 Ltd at the start of December, said at the time: “New railways provide better journeys and they boost economic growth by fuelling investment in communities and businesses. The prize is clear.
“However, the programme is in a very serious situation that requires a fundamental reset to enable it to be delivered at the lowest feasible cost. I am committed to delivering this reset over the coming year to ensure the railway can be brought into service safely and efficiently.” HS2 Ltd recently said 38 of the 55 miles of twin-bore tunnels have been excavated, and 58% of engineering work to prepare the ground for the railway’s cuttings, embankments, stations and landscaping has been completed.
Thousands of workers are trying to meet the targets
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Work has also started on constructing 158 out of 227 viaducts and bridges. More than 31,000 people are employed on the programme, which has 350 active construction sites. Mr Wild continued: “HS2 represents a significant investment in Britain’s future and in the last month I’ve been inspired by the hugely impressive feats of civil engineering taking shape right along the route.”
Construction projects expected to be completed in 2025 include excavation of the 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel in west London and both bores of the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel which will carry the line in and out of Birmingham.