Transport Secretary to Invoke Japanese Inspiration for HS2

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has expressed ambitions for HS2 to match levels of success previously set by Japan’s Shinkansen network or “bullet trains”.

The Transport Secretary recently made a trip to Japan and travelled along the high-speed line from Tokyo to Osaka.

Earlier this year, the Government announced that the Britain’s HS2 project will aim to match the Shinkansen’s top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph) in an effort to both save up to 2.5 billion GBP and cut at least a year from the project’s delivery timeline.

During her visit; the Transport Secretary met with her ministerial counterpart, Yasushi Kaneko, and toured Hitachi’s Tokyo headquarters, where discussions between both parties focused on high-speed rail and infrastructure development, and in particular how Japan’s railway stations have become significant sources of economic growth.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has stated that these lessons will be used to help inform plans for the new Euston station, which is set to be delivered through private investment by the newly established Euston Delivery Company. This development is also expected to unlock at least 2,000 new homes, support 34,000 new jobs, and contribute 41 billion GBP to the national economy.

Additionally, the visit also covered Japan’s experience managing a series of large-scale rail projects simultaneously – which could prove to become valuable insight as the UK presses ahead with its own ambitious infrastructure programmes including Northern Powerhouse Rail as well as HS2.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

It’s easy to see why Japan’s iconic bullet trains are so loved and I want Britain to match them. Running at bullet train speeds is just the start - our reset of HS2 is ending years of waste and mismanagement, taking control of costs and delivery, and making sure the railway delivers real benefits for passengers, communities, and the economy.

By aligning the UK’s own dedicated high-speed line with the Shinkansen, we could save up to £2.5 billion and cut at least a year from the delivery timeline, meaning passengers and communities benefit sooner.