At Old Oak Common, a semi‑industrial zone in west London, concrete platforms for next‑gen high‑speed trains have been laid, but passengers will not arrive for at least another decade. A curved glass roof is slated for next year, and more than 1,100 workers are labouring in scorching heat on the 140‑acre site, the largest UK station built.

HS2 Ltd claims the project will generate 18,000 jobs and 22,000 homes by the 2030s, yet the station’s cost has risen from £2 bn in 2020 to £4.3bn by September 2025, the result of immature design and complexity.

Managed by a consortium of major firms, the site employs many contractors while HS2 Ltd has about 100 staff. After six years of inefficiency reviews, chief executive Mark Wild wants to replace costly “cost‑plus” deals, though renegotiations at Old Oak Common remain pending. The station’s purpose is unclear, serving as a temporary London terminus until HS2 branch to Euston opens in early 2040s, and its role as 42nd Elizabeth line stop may attract developers, but slowed speeds and the need to change trains raise doubts about demand. Tony Travers, professor at the London School of Economics, says the government must explain the line’s purpose and the value of continued spending.