HS2 - Off the Rails
Antony Oliver
4 September 2025
HS2 – what went wrong?
The Infrastructure Podcast is back after the summer break — and we’re starting with a big one as I speak to author
Sally Gimson about her new book Off the Rail – the inside story of
HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd.
Listen in here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.
HS2 has been called many things: for some it's infrastructure’s poster child for delay and cost overrun; to others it's a truly game-changing investment to transform UK connectivity,
Certainly few projects in British history have generated such fierce debate — or exposed so much about our ability (or inability) to deliver major infrastructure. From the spiralling costs and shifting political priorities to the sheer engineering complexity, HS2 has been a lightning rod for wider questions - all of which I tackle with Sally:
· Was it doomed from day one?
· Was it a bold vision stifled by politics?
· Is the UK capable of delivering such bold and ambitious projects?
Sally has spent years unpicking the web of decisions, personalities, and compromises that shaped the project — and what her excellent new book uncovers says as much about our national approach to infrastructure as it does about a single railway.
Have a listen and let me know what you think!
Infrastructure project commissioning is not testing. And according to Paul Turner , my guest on this week’s episode, failure to grasp this concept too often sees major projects treat commissioning as a last-minute hurdle to clear before opening day rather than the fundamental process of preparing an asset from day one to operate as intended. Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. Paul is Chief Executive of the Institute of Commissioning & Assurance (ICxA). He explains that, in reality, commissioning is the vital process required at the start of a project - not the end. And when projects go wrong, the results can be disastrous – from delayed openings and cost overruns to failures that undermine public trust – and usually linked directoy to poor commissioning at the start. When we spoke last year in episode 82, Paul had just launched what was then the Industrial Commissioning Association. In just twelve months, the organisation has: ✅ Grown to over 4,300 members across 27 local chapters ✅ Formed a Board of Directors and Advisory Council ✅ Rebranded as ICxA to reflect its broader global mission ✅ Launched two new global standards – one on commissioning, one on outcome assurance ✅ Introduced a certification framework and career pathway for the next generation of project leaders We dig into what these developments mean for infrastructure and industrial projects worldwide, why commissioning needs to be treated with the same seriousness as design and construction, and how ICxA’s standards can help transform outcomes across the sector. Enjoy the episode.
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“Projects don’t go wrong — they start wrong.” That’s one of the stark messages from James Stewart , author of the Stewart Review into the troubled HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd project and my guest on this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast . 👉 Listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. As we know, HS2 was meant to be the crown jewel of UK infrastructure — boosting connectivity, unlocking capacity, and driving long-term growth. Instead, it's become a cautionary tale of runaway costs, shrinking scope, and delayed delivery. In this candid conversation, James (- who now chairs Agilia Infrastructure Partners but has spent a career helping to bring public and private infrastructure projects over the line) pulls no punches as he outlines: · Was HS2 simply too big to succeed? · Why the project lacked a protective “buffer” from political interference · The impact of the UK’s “culture of gold-plating” in design · And why our major project supply chain is no longer fit for purpose His verdict is clear: HS2 didn’t just fall apart — it was flawed from the start. But perhaps more importantly, in his lessons learnt report, James sets out how we can stop making the same mistakes in future infrastructure projects. It’s a must-listen for anyone who cares about how the UK delivers its biggest ambitions.
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A new nuclear "golden age"? Well it’s certainly an exciting time in the nuclear energy sector right now as the UK government commits £2.5bn to Small Modular Reactors, £14.2bn to Sizewell C , and £2.5bn to fusion R&D – the biggest nuclear investment in a generation. But what does this bold vision really mean? Can we build this new nuclear future on time, on budget, and with the skills we need? In this week's episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I’m joined by Tim Stone CBE , independent non-executive director of Great British Nuclear and former Chair of the Nuclear Industry Association to unpack the opportunity, challenge – and reality – of the UK’s nuclear renaissance. Listen here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course! I certainly loved this conversation with Tim – his return to the podcast of course (see also episode 53!) as we chewed over a huge number of issues including: ➡️ is the really a new "golden age” of nuclear? ➡️ What exactly are SMRs – and why do they matter? ➡️ How do they compare to mega-projects like Sizewell C or Hinkley Point C? ➡️ Are we ready to deliver – with the right sites, skills, and supply chains? ➡️ Can Britain really lead the global race on next-gen nuclear? Given the scale of the government’s nuclear ambition, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in clean energy, industrial revival, or how infrastructure policy turns into national progress.
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