HS2 peak production rate: 2025 progress and next steps

HS2 peak production rate was recorded as the project released updated figures on HS2 construction progress 2025, covering work above and below ground, as outlined by the HS2 Ltd Media Centre.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The year also included a fundamental reset of the programme, while 23 miles of deep-bore tunnels were excavated on the opening section between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street.

HS2 said 70% of the HS2 earthworks programme has now been delivered. Almost 300,000 tonnes of steel have been used so far, equal to 69% of the total required for the railway. In 2026, attention is set to move to completing the civil engineering programme across the 140-mile route, ahead of the next stage covering track, signalling and communication systems.

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December marked the first anniversary of Mark Wild’s appointment as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd. In the update, Wild said he had committed to the Transport Secretary to address failures from the past and get HS2 back on track through a fundamental reset. He added that the programme has been reviewed in detail and is close to setting out a clearer path forward. At the same time, he said HS2 still needed to deliver a safe and productive year during the reset and thanked the 34,000 people working on the project each day.

Wild said the progress made over the last year provides strong foundations to build on, and he expects that to continue through 2026 and beyond as HS2 is delivered as safely and efficiently as possible and for the lowest reasonable cost.

HS2 currently has around 350 active work sites between London and Birmingham, and 2025 saw an increase in staff in front-line construction roles to support productivity. The company also said it has started making greater use of real-time information, including a traffic-light system to show where construction is on track and where it is not meeting expectations.

HS2 peak production rate and delivery metrics in 2025

The figures indicate HS2’s construction partners exceeded a number of targets during 2025. Earthworks are reported at 70% complete overall — nearly 105 million cubic metres. HS2 also said 69% of the total steel needed — almost 300,000 tonnes — has already been used, with most sourced from UK companies. In addition, 88% of the foundations for the railway have been sunk, totalling almost 23,000.

Viaduct work also accelerated. Around 1,500 viaduct segments were installed in 2025, compared with 860 in 2024 — an increase of 75%. During the year, HST Ltd. reported a series of construction milestones, including the installation of the first high-speed platforms at Old Oak Common superhub station. The update also highlighted the heaviest and longest single-stage viaduct deck slide on the project so far: at 345 metres, the Small Dean viaduct was moved into place over a road and a railway in Wendover.

Another milestone described was the positioning of a 14,500-tonne box structure under the A46 Kenilworth Bypass, allowing high-speed trains to pass beneath the dual carriageway. The structure was described as believed to be the heaviest of its kind in Europe. HS2 also reported the successful excavation of two twin-bore tunnels — the 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel in London and the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel in the West Midlands — completing excavation for all 23 miles of deep tunnels on the opening stage, with the Northolt milestone also covered by Railway Supply.

The programme also completed its biggest natural river realignment, moving a 749-metre section of the River Cole near Coleshill to make way for new viaducts and embankments, with HS2 saying the end result enhances habitats to maximise diversity. In the West Midlands, the company reported a UK-first as the final stages of a 320-metre viaduct slide were completed with traffic flowing below, bringing the three-stage operation over the M6 to a successful close earlier this month.

HS2 also confirmed completion of the 2.1-mile-long Colne Valley viaduct, which stretches over roads, lakes, the River Colne and the Grand Union Canal, north west of London. The giant pre-cast deck was completed last year and, in 2025, engineers added the finishing touches by installing parapet sections, noise barriers, a structural health monitoring system, waterproofing, and drainage.

What comes next for HS2 construction progress 2025 into 2026?

The update follows the Government’s June Spending Review, under which £25.3 billion was pledged over the next four years to deliver HS2 between London Euston and the West Midlands, as set out in the UK Government Spending Review 2025. HS2 Ltd said this provides stronger certainty for overall delivery, with a focus on tunnels, viaducts, embankments and cuttings along the route.

HS2 said the 2025 reset has already led to several changes. These include tougher cost controls to ensure annual budgets are carefully managed and taxpayers’ money is maximised, as well as a new construction schedule aimed at prioritising completion of the initial phase between Old Oak Common and Birmingham. That schedule includes completing an initial 50-mile stretch first between HS2’s new network integrated control centre in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, and the Wendover green tunnel in Buckinghamshire so testing can commence.

The company also said it has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a new chair, Mike Brown, and six new non-executive directors, alongside new executive appointments to address critical skills gaps. HS2 added that it is reshaping HS2 Ltd into a less bureaucratic, outcome-focused organisation.

These measures followed an initial stocktake by Mark Wild at the start of the year, after which the Chief Executive advised the Transport Secretary that an estimated opening schedule of 2029/2033 could not be achieved.

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