Skip to content

Anger over London HS2 station's disruption to Wales

Getty Images An aerial view of a construction site in west London. Beside the existing Euston station there is a cleared area with temporary building for the workGetty Images
Some trains from Wales will be diverted to Euston station as work is carried out

Building London’s new HS2 station will mean "massive disruption" and "no benefit" for passengers travelling to the UK capital from south Wales, an MP has said.

Construction of the largest railway station ever built in the UK at Old Oak Common in west London will add 15 minutes to journeys to London on multiple dates until 2030 as trains will go to Euston instead of Paddington.

Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, urged train operators and Network Rail to look at mitigation for people using the service from Sunday, saying the situation had been "badly managed".

The Department for Transport said it was working with HS2, Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail to minimise disruption.

HS2 has already provoked controversy in Wales.

Despite being entirely in England, Wales has received no extra funding from the UK government as a result.

Jones said: "People just aren’t aware of it, my constituents don’t know what’s happening.

"I understand the need for HS2, don't get me wrong, but it's the impact on our line coming from south Wales for no benefit to the people of south Wales, that’s my big issue."

The MP stopped short of calling for Wales to be given consequential cash, but said she would be feeding back to ministers.

Ruth Jones standing on a street with houses and a pavement in the background. She has white shoulder length hair and is wearing a blue shirt and a necklace with a small cross
Ruth Jones says Welsh rail passengers were facing disruption for up to 10 years

Construction at Old Oak Common will affect services until 2030, with multiple periods of disruption expected.

Most of the work will take place at weekends or overnight and the first scheduled disruption is on 17 November when there will be no trains to or from Paddington.

Instead there will be an hourly service from south Wales to London Euston, with the same same arrangements in place from 27 to 29 December, adding at least 15 minutes to journey times.

"It’s got to be done and you’ve got to plan ahead, leave early," said rail passenger Rich Welbourne, 39, from Chepstow, Monmouthshire.

For Josh Wooton, 26, from Bridgend, Euston is less central: "It’s more convenient to come to Paddington for my work."

Josh Wooton sitting a wooden slat bench in a train station. He is wearing a green jacket and has short blonde hair and wispy beard.
Josh Wooton says trains in Wales can be "pretty dreadful"

He said it did not feel "particularly fair" that Wales got no additional cash due to spending on HS2 in England.

Trains in Wales can be "pretty dreadful" and "the maintenance of some of the carts needs doing," he added.

GWR said: "The construction of HS2 and Old Oak Common are flagship projects for the future of the UK’s railway network, but not all of that work can be done without impacting train passengers.

"Our focus is on minimising the impact on passengers and we’ve worked with HS2, Network Rail and the Department for Transport to develop alternative routes and services so they can still get to where they need to go."