Aylesbury MP Raises Concerns Over HS2 Delays Following Government Report

Laura Kyrke-Smith has criticised the continued delays and disruption caused by the HS2 project after a new report revealed trains may not begin running until between 2036 and 2039.

Reacting to the news, the Aylesbury MP said the latest timeline would come as “yet another blow” for local residents who have already endured years of construction work and disruption across the area.

Kyrke-Smith said the scale of mismanagement uncovered by the Government’s investigations into HS2 had been “staggering”, with tens of billions of pounds allegedly wasted under previous administrations.

She said: “The fact that trains won’t be running until 2036-39 feels like yet another blow, when we’ve already been putting up with the construction work for so long.”

The MP also pointed to the environmental damage and disruption experienced by communities along the route, particularly in and around Aylesbury.

Despite criticism of the scheme, Kyrke-Smith said ministers had concluded that cancelling HS2 now would cost as much as completing it, while leaving communities dealing with unfinished infrastructure and unresolved construction sites.

She explained: “Ministers have set out that to cancel the scheme now would cost as much money as it would to complete it, and leave communities like ours with half-finished structures and a huge mess to clear up. So they’ve decided to press on and finish it.”

Following the publication of the report, Kyrke-Smith met with Rail Minister Lord Hendy and HS2 CEO Mark Wild to discuss the ongoing impact on local residents.

During the meeting, she raised concerns over delays in handing land back to Buckinghamshire Council after construction work is completed, as well as the slow restoration of natural landscapes and countryside access.

She said: “I stressed the ongoing disruption and raised several issues including the slow handover of land back to the Council once work is complete, and the slow progress on restoring the natural landscapes and our access to the countryside.”

The MP also renewed calls for a rail link between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, arguing that it would deliver major benefits for the area at a significantly lower cost than HS2.

“I raised again the need for a Rail Link from Aylesbury to Milton Keynes, which would be transformative for our town and a fraction of the cost of HS2,” she said. “I will continue to push this with Ministers until we see progress.”

The HS2 project has faced repeated criticism over rising costs, delays and environmental concerns since construction began, with many residents across Buckinghamshire expressing frustration over the long-running disruption.