Huge cost of an HS2 mainline station in the city centre

Several long tunnels to the south of the city, a new station and a ‘challenging’ exit to the north due to existing roads and railway lines would have added huge cost, a report published today is expected to say.

Construction work would create delays and disruption for residents, passengers and HS2 users travelling north or south.

Midland station does not have enough space to accommodate the HS2 mainline and building work would cause disruption ‘for years’, the report is set to conclude.

It would also affect historic listed buildings and have a total cost of £2billion more than Meadowhall – money that would have to come out of the overall HS2 budget. The report is also expected to rule out a stop on the old Victoria station site, stating it would cost £700million more than Meadowhall.

It is not part of the existing rail network and takes about 15 minutes on foot from the existing Midland station.

And the track would have to be curved, resulting in a station 100 metres wide, the report is set to say. The route would also need a tunnelled exit to the north.

The report is expected to state: “As an option for resolving the needs and demands of existing services, future ambitions and the requirements for HS2 it is far from ideal and would cost some £700m more. That is money which would have to come from savings on some other part of the route.”