Lessons from HS2
“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.









