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Contractors have welcomed HS2 chair David Higgins鈥� newly-announced plans to speed up the delivery of HS2.

Today Higgins including delivering the line鈥檚 second phase three years earlier; change the design of HS2鈥檚 Euston terminus and scrap a 拢700m link to HS1.

Alasdair Reisner, director of external affairs for the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, said he supported plans to speed up delivery of the line that would be 鈥渃entral to Britain鈥檚 transport infrastructure for generations to come鈥�.

He said: 鈥淗owever, HS2 must not be built at the expense of other projects. Instead, it should be seen as a foundational to the diverse portfolio of transport and energy projects we will need to construct if we our national infrastructure is to meet the demands of the 21st century.

鈥淔or this reason we welcome Sir David Higgins鈥� demand for additional focus on delivering wider transport in the North, above and beyond those provided by HS2.鈥�

Mike Putnam, UK chief executive of contractor Skanska, said the report was 鈥渨ise.鈥�

鈥淲e need national and local support for this scheme, and holding this [launch] event in Manchester was a statement, and it鈥檚 been interesting to see the strength of support here from across the north,鈥� he said

However, Malcolm Dowden, consultant at law firm Charles Russell LLP, warned the new timetable may not even be possible.

He said: 鈥淚t is unlikely that the current legislation could be extended without fatally slowing its progress, as HS2 requires parliamentary approval and the legislation that is due for its second reading in late April could not easily be amended to authorise the northern elements of HS2. 

鈥淚n practice, acceleration of the northern stages would require wholly separate legislation and with only limited Parliamentary time before the next election it is far from clear that the government will treat an extra HS2 Bill as a priority. The economic case is likely to come a poor second to the constraints of the legislative process.鈥�

Duncan Symonds, head of infrastructure at consultant WSP, said redeveloping Euston was 鈥渁n obvious win鈥�.

But he said: 鈥淭he issue of the HS1 link is slightly trickier. We can see the benefits of a link but more analysis is needed into whether there will be the demand to warrant and sustain it, and how international passport control facilities would be incorporated into current designs.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be watching this issue develop with interest because from our internal debates on the matter it鈥檚 clear that there are a number of extremely complex issues to be balanced and addressed.鈥�

Richard Threlfall, head of contruction at KPMG, said: 鈥淗iggins here has shown he鈥檚 one of the best politicians in the country, delivering a report which has the strength and leadership not to falsely claim cost savings that will be difficult to deliver.

鈥淗opefully now we can finally get froma  numbers game to a real debate about policy and investment.鈥�

Patrick Twist, transport partner at law firm Pinsent Masons, said Higgins鈥� message that 鈥渢he longer it takes the more it costs鈥� was 鈥渨ell understood in the construction industry but to-date government has preferred to spread the cost over a longer period鈥�. 

He added: 鈥淪ir David recognises that currently proposed HS1-HS2 rail link is sub-optimal and he calls for it to be reconsidered. Few would argue with that but businesses in Birmingham and the North will look for this link to be upgraded so that it can provide effective and efficient through services to the continent.鈥� 

Twist said it was 鈥減rudent鈥� to not seek to reduce the contingency for HS2 at this stage鈥�.

He added: 鈥淗e has rightly made clear that any material reduction in cost will be dependent on the length of time the parliamentary process takes.鈥�

Paul Plummer, director of Network Rail group strategy, said the scheme would 鈥渞eshape reshape the railway in a way that incremental improvements simply cannot鈥�.

He added: 鈥淭he step-change in capacity that HS2 enables across the network as a whole will transform the service on existing lines, creating the space we need to meet growing demand and deliver new and better connections.

鈥淭he timetables that might operate are by no means fixed and we will soon announce a programme of engagement with passengers and stakeholders, both inside and outside the industry, to seek their views on what should be prioritised as we start to plan future services.鈥�