HS2 Ltd CEO Optimistic About New Direction for Project Success

During the High Speed Rail Group’s annual conference in Birmingham on May 7, Mark Wild, the Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, expressed his commitment to a significant overhaul of the high-speed rail initiative. “I’m determined to get this right on the first try,” he stated.

Wild shared with attendees that the government has granted his team the necessary flexibility to realign project timelines. The focus will be on synchronizing various components of construction for smoother execution.

looking back at HS2’s progress, Wild acknowledged previous leaders’ contributions in bringing parts of the project to life. He noted that major tunneling work between Old Oak Common and Birmingham is nearing completion and estimated that about half of all major earthworks are done.

However, he admitted there are still significant hurdles ahead for HS2. Tackling these challenges was a key reason he accepted this role. “People ofen ask me why I took this job,” he said. “I believe strongly in connecting communities; coming from a coal mining family in County Durham has made me acutely aware of social disparities.” He added that another motivation was addressing what he described as a fragmented approach within the program: “It’s frustrating to see such potential wasted.”

The level of disconnection within HS2 makes it hard for him to accurately assess construction progress. While ideally they should be halfway through by now, Wild suggested they might only be one-third complete due to ongoing issues.

“The project feels out of sync with actual site activities,” he explained further. “We need everything organized logically: civil engineering first, then track installation followed by overhead lines and electrical systems before we can run test trains.”

He emphasized that 2025 is crucial for getting things back on track—this reset is their best chance before launching operations between Old Oak common and curzon Street. Drawing from four decades in large-scale projects,Wild believes every major endeavor requires such pivotal moments.

Citing lessons learned from leading Crossrail during its final phases, he aims for efficiency where tasks are completed without redundancy—a lesson illustrated by an incident where workers could only access half a kilometer needed due to other teams’ unfinished work: “That’s exactly what we’re trying to prevent,” said Wild.

The challenges Ahead

A key takeaway from his insights is managing uncertainty effectively moving forward; understanding how HS2 reached its current state will inform future high-speed rail initiatives globally.
Wild identified three primary factors contributing to delays and budget overruns:

1. The rushed start without fully developed designs—“We jumped into construction too soon,” he noted while clarifying it wasn’t meant as criticism but rather hindsight clarity.
2. An uneven distribution of risk left public entities bearing more than private contractors—a situation stemming from starting without finalized designs or approvals which created an imbalance recognized by industry partners.
3. The structure at HS2 Ltd not being optimized for delivery compared with organizations like Transport for London (TfL), which prioritize end-user experience—“TfL worked backward from operational goals instead.”

Wild concluded by stressing how detrimental delays can be on team morale across all levels involved with HS2; acknowledging their financial impact means they must maximize productivity during this reset phase so everyone understands their roles clearly moving forward.
Once operational though? He firmly believes HS2 will serve as a foundational element rather than just an add-on within Britain’s railway landscape.
“It’s vital we nail this reset—and I’m confident we will!”