The Guardian view on HS2 delays: a chance to break the cycle of costly failure | Editorial

The botched London-Birmingham line is a symbol of malaise in British politics. Getting it done would signal renewal

One day there will be a high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham. Maybe. Not soon. When HS2 was first proposed, an opening date for the first phase was planned for December 2026. After multiple delays and cost overruns, a revised target of 2033 was set.

That is no longer realistic, according to Heidi Alexander. The transport secretary told MPs on Wednesday that two more years are likely to be required, blaming the last Conservative government for mismanaging the whole project and wasting billions of pounds in the process.

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