LONDON, Jan. 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* the first of 2 HS2 tunnelboring machinesbeginsitsjourney from Old Oak Common to Eustonstation * key stepon amajormilestonein the government's commitment to bring the new, high-speed rail line into central London * delivering HS2 to Euston supports the government's mission to kickstart economic growth, with recent estimates showing development at Euston could add around £41billionto the UK economy by 2053

High Speed Two's (HS2's) journeyinto central London is a stop closertoday (27 January 2026),aftera huge tunnel boring machinestartedits passage from Old Oak Common in the capital's west, to Euston station, marking a key milestone in the government's commitment to deliver the new, high-speed rail line tothe citycentre.

Taking HS2 to Eustonis essential to unlocking the project's full economic potential, withestimates from Camden Council suggesting a mix of new homes and commercial developmentat Eustoncould add £41 billion to the economy by 2053andsupport34,000 new jobs.Today's tunnelling in Old Oak Common is part of wider progress on HS2 and followsthecompletion of 23 miles of tunnels, 19 bridges and 2 viaducts alongtherail line'sroute fromcentral London to Birmingham.

The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, and the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, visitedOld Oak Common station alongside the Chief ExecutiveOfficerof HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild,and Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner, Andy Lord,to switch on the 1,624-tonne tunnel boring machine, which will excavate a4.5-miletunnel between the 2 stations.

Themachine works by both excavating and constructingthe tunnelas it goes, slotting concretesegmentsinto place tobuildthestructure through which HS2's trains willtravel.It is the first of 2 tunnel boring machines that willconstructthe2 parallel tunnelstoEuston andis named 'Madeleine' afterthe former president of the Women's Engineering Society, Madeleine Nobbs.

Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said:

It was brilliant to switch on the tunnel boring machine at Old Oak Common today - not just becauseit'san engineering marvel - but because it brings HS2's journey to Euston another step closer to reality.

We're putting HS2 back on track, and taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes and a long-term boost to the wholeBritisheconomy.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, said:

There'snothing boring about tunnel boring. Today's launch was a brilliant moment for the UK's railways, building on 6 major rail tunnel and road milestones completed ahead of schedule last year.

We're boosting the links between our big cities across the country to create more opportunities for people to trade, meet and socialise with each other, turning the corner on years of decline.

HS2 Ltd CEO, Mark Wild, said:

On my first day at HS2, I unveiled the Euston TBMs as they were being prepared to build the Euston Tunnel. Just over a year on,we'rebeginning to excavate the tunnel - a show of confidence that HS2 will be built into central London and kickstart economic growth.

Over the past 12months, I have been leading a comprehensive reset across HS2 to get it back on track and I am confident thatwe'reon the right path to delivering HS2 safely and efficiently. The start of tunnelling here today is a part of the strong foundations we can build upon to completing HS2 and deliver better journeys for rail passengers.

Withover 33,000 people currently working to build the high-speed railway, HS2 isestimated to add £10 billion to the west London economy over the next decade, including 22,000 more homes and almost 19,000 new jobs.Once complete, HS2 will mean faster, better train travel for passengers between London and Birmingham and beyond.

Andy Lord, London's Transport Commissioner, said:

Today marks a significant milestone in the journey towards bringing high-speed services into Euston, unlocking faster journeys and delivering greater connectivity, as well as supporting growth in jobs and homes in the heart of the capital.

At TfL,we'reworking closely with our partners to ensure the best possible experience for customers interchanging between London Underground, London Buses, HS2 and National Rail services at Euston.

Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor, Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, said:

Today is an important and exciting milestone for HS2 as this much-needed new high-speed rail line into central London gets another step closer to completion.

It will boost the UK economy by £41 billion and support 34,000 new jobs, while delivering 22,000 more homes for Londoners over the next decade.

The mayor and I will continue working closely with government and partners to unlock the full economic potential of our transport network as we build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.

Today's milestone comes as HS2Ltd'sCEO Mark Wild leads a comprehensive reset of HS2 to ensure the new railway is delivered safely between London and Birmingham at the lowest reasonable cost.Despite HS2's challenges,the project supports the government's mission to kickstart economic growth by creating jobs, homes, and unlocking much-needed rail capacity, with over33,000 peoplecurrentlyworking to buildthehigh-speed railway.

The delivery of the government's plans for Euston will be taken forward by a new body, the Euston Delivery Company.Onceestablished, the company will lead delivery ofan affordable and integrated transport hub-includingthe new HS2 station, the redevelopment of the existing station, and upgrades to the London Underground station-along with commercial development across the Euston campus.

More broadly, the government is delivering landmark legislation to overhaul the railway and bring it together under Great British Railways, a new body which will be owned by the public and deliver for the public. The government is also making fares cheaper through the first fare freeze in 30 years, which is putting money back in millions of passengers' pockets and easing the cost of living for hard-working people.

Leader of Camden Council, Councillor Richard Olszewski, said:

Euston holds a once-in-a-century opportunity to boost the national economy, build much-needed affordable homes, and create new jobs for people in Camden and beyond.

The start of tunnelling brings us a step closer to that future, adding new momentum and even-greater confidence in Euston's potential to be a driver of national growth.

In Camden, we stand ready to lead the next chapter of Euston's vibrant history through a new, locally led development corporation - working with the GLA and government to make Euston a place that delivers for the country, the capital and our communities.

Richard Adams, Managing Director of Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, said:

We are delighted to becommencingour final TBM drives to build the 2 4.5-miletunnels to Euston. During thiswork,our TBMs will remove over 1.5 million tonnes of excavated material and place more than 8,000 pre-cast rings, built in a dedicated facility in Hartlepool.

Our tunnel segments and excavated material will all be transported by rail and managed through ourstate of the artlogisticshub. This will remove over 70,000 lorry journeys from the local road network, emphasising our commitment to being a good neighbour and greener construction.

SCS JV has already driven 8.4 miles of twin-bore tunnels under London, from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common and our expert teams on site will work 24/7 to deliver these final HS2 tunnel drives with the highest levels of safety and productivity.

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