The chief executive of HS2 has announced he will resign later this year following major delays and cost pressures for the high-speed railway project.
Mark Thurston, 56, will leave his role at HS2 Ltd in September after six-and-a-half years spearheading the Government-owned company. Initially scheduled to open in 2026, the railway project has been delayed to between 2029 and 2033 due to construction difficulties and rising costs.
Mr Thurston said someone else should take over as the project transitions from construction to a “defining period” involving the installation of railway systems, such as track and signalling equipment.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features
HS2 Ltd’s latest annual report shows Mr Thurston, who is the company’s longest serving chief executive, was paid a salary of £617,300 in the 2021/22 financial year, while also receiving £5,400 in benefits.
The ambitious project received a £55.7 billion budget in 2015, but the target cost excluding the eastern leg of Phase 2b from the West Midlands to the East Midlands has soared to between £53 billion and £61 billion at 2019 prices.
In March, Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced work at Euston would be paused for two years as costs had ballooned to £4.8 billion compared with an initial budget of £2.6 billion.
Mr Thurston’s resignation announcement comes while Phase One of the project between London and Birmingham is at peak construction, with major work taking place at more than 350 sites.
Just last week, a raft of major changes were proposed to the planned law that would see HS2 extend to Manchester. Submitted to Parliament, the alterations include the relocation of M56’s Junction 6 to the south west and modifications to road junctions in a number of community areas.
In June, a committee of MPs were also told that a four-platform, underground HS2 rail station at Piccadilly would be 'the best solution for Manchester and the north'. Long-standing plans for two extra platforms at the railway station were 'dropped' by the Government at a similar time.
In a statement announcing his resignation today (July 12), Mr Thurston said: “Leading this organisation has been the highlight of my career and a privilege from the first day.
“The programme has come such a long way and I want to thank everyone who has worked on the project during my time.
“The next 18-24 months will see the project move into an exciting new stage. I have agreed with the board that someone else should lead the organisation and programme through what will be another defining period for HS2.”
Transport Secretary Mr Harper said: “I’d like to thank Mark Thurston for his work over the last six years progressing Britain’s most transformative rail project.
“As well as successfully overseeing the start of construction, he has ensured HS2 has created tens of thousands of skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the country.
“As HS2 enters its next phase, the Government remains committed to unlocking all the benefits of this flagship infrastructure scheme – increasing rail capacity, connecting communities and growing the economy.”
When Mr Thurston leaves at the end of September, HS2 Ltd chairman Sir Jon Thompson will become executive chairman for an interim period while a new chief executive is recruited.
