Half of those people have now been sent out to civil engineering sites as the organisation becomes more “outcome-focused”

A project update confirmed the moves as part of an ongoing  fundamental reset of the scheme by Chief Executive  Mark Wild who has now been in the job 12 months.

Wild is aiming to get control of costs with new specialist commercial roles which now scrutinise every contractor payments.

He said: “Over the last year we’ve been through the programme with a fine tooth comb and we’re now very close to establishing a clear path forward.”

Progress made on the project includes 70% of the project’s vast earthworks programme has has now been delivered and almost 300,000 tonnes of steel has been used – 69% of that required for the railway.

HS2 is now focused on completing the complex civil engineering programme across the 140-mile route, ahead of the next vital stage when the track, signalling and communications systems that form the basis of the operational railway are installed.

Wild said: “We had to deliver a safe and productive year while HS2 was reset and I want to thank the 34,000 people working on the project every day for their tremendous hard work.

“The solid progress they’ve made in the last year gives us strong foundations to build upon. We’ve shown what can be done and I expect that to continue throughout 2026 and beyond as we deliver HS2 as safely and efficiently as possible and for the lowest reasonable cost.”

HS2 has around 350 active work sites between London and Birmingham and this year HS2 Ltd has increased the number of staff in front-line construction roles to help drive productivity.

In June, the government’s Spending Review confirmed funding of £25.3bn to deliver HS2 between London Euston and the West Midlands over the next four years.

Wild confirmed that the railway’s 2029/2033 opening schedule could not be achieved and HS2 Ltd has since been finalising a new range of credible cost and schedule estimates.