Sir Terry Morgan (pictured), 70, could leave his role as head of both HS2 and Crossrail within a few weeks following reports Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to sack him
The ‘world class’ HS2 boss has admitted he expects to be sacked within days.
Sir Terry Morgan, who also works on London’s delayed £15bn Crossrail project, started working on HS2 in August.
He told BBC Radio 4’s PM there was disappointment within Westminster about the delays Crossrail has incurred.
Sir Terry’s admission follows reports he is expected to leave both jobs after a series of recent disclosures about problems at the projects and doubts were raised about his performance.
The 70-year-old could leave both jobs in just a few weeks amid reports Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to sack him.
It comes following suggestions from both Chris Grayling, transport secretary, and Philip Hammond, chancellor, that Sir Terry be removed from his post.
And is just months after the transport secretary hailed Sir Terry as ‘world-class’ when he appointed him to the top position.
The Financial Times has revealed that the HS2 rail project could now be facing a setback following the shock news.
It is reported that Sir Terry, who started work at HS2 in August, may leave amid fears that costs are spiralling out of control.
The line is set to create a new high-speed rail linking London, West Midlands, Leeds and Manchester.
HS2 (High Speed 2) is a plan to construct a a new high-speed rail linking London, West Midlands, Leeds and Manchester. Pictured is an artist’s impression of how the new line might look once up and running
Phase one, between London and Birmingham, is currently due to open to passengers by 2026. While phase two is scheduled for full completion in 2033
It was initially estimated to cost £56billion, but several senior ministers are said to privately fear it could exceed £100billion.
It is to be built in a ‘Y’ configuration. London will be on the bottom of the ‘Y’, Birmingham at the centre, Leeds at the top right and Manchester at the top left.
Work on Phase One began in 2017 and the government plans envisage the line being operational by 2026.
It has prompted fears of potential cuts to infrastructure spending from unions and criticism from the Stop HS2 Campaign who branded HS2 as ‘a mess, it’s always been a mess’.
Downing Street, the Department for Transport and HS2 declined to comment.
A Transport Department spokesman said it ‘did not comment on speculation nor on personnel matters.’
Reacting to the reports, unions warned of cuts to spending on rail projects.
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said: ‘My big fear is that blaming ‘spiralling costs’, is Tory code for more infrastructure cuts to come.
‘It was always nuts to have one person responsible for heading up both these enormous infrastructure projects. More so now that both are not on target.’
Stop HS2 Campaign manager Joe Rukin suggested it would be ‘bizarre’ to sack Sir Terry now as opposed to any other time in the project.
He said: ‘The bottom line is that HS2 is a mess, it’s always been a mess, and imagining that this is the fault of a man who has only been in charge for four months is a delusional attempt by politicians to absolve themselves of the reality that it is their lack of scrutiny and objectivity that is responsible for HS2 being a disaster.’
Sir Terry has been chairman on the Crossrail project since June 2009.
It was announced on August 31 that the capital’s new east-west railway will open in autumn 2019 rather than December this year to complete infrastructure and testing.
Addressing the delay, a spokesman for Crossrail Limited said in August: ‘The revised schedule is needed to complete the final infrastructure and extensive testing required to ensure the Elizabeth line opens as a safe and reliable railway.’
The project’s budget was increased from £14.8 billion to £15.4 billion in July due to ‘cost pressures’. It is being predominantly funded by Transport for London (TfL) and the Government.
The hugely complex ten-year project is bringing together multiple infrastructure contracts, new trains and three different signalling systems.
The Elizabeth line will add 10 per cent to central London’s rail capacity, and the project is estimated to boost the economy by an estimated £42bn.
Once open it will allow journeys between Reading in the east and Shenfield in the west – all the way to Essex.
Another journey could take people from Heathrow Airport in the east to Abbey Wood in the west.
The autumn opening will only see the central section of the Elizabeth line open.
The focus remains on opening the full Elizabeth line, from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, as soon after the central tunnels open as possible.
Work is scheduled to continue on the Crossrail line until autumn next year, as bosses say extra time is needed for testing
An Elizabeth line train at Abbeywood train station in London as hundreds of angry commuters deal with the news Crossrail will be delayed by nine months
An artist’s impression of the trains that will run on the Crossrail project when it opens in the autumn of next year. More work needs to be completed on the Reading station before it opens to the public
An artist’s impression of how stations might look on the Elizabeth line once open to the public. Londoners will have to wait a little longer for the futuristic stations, as the line has now been delayed
A map of the new Elizabeth line which will take commuters from Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. Angry commuters have been taking to Twitter (below) to share their thoughts following news of the delay
Simon Wright, Crossrail Chief Executive said in August: ‘The Elizabeth line is one of the most complex and challenging infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK and is now in its final stages.
‘We have made huge progress with the delivery of this incredible project but we need further time to complete the testing of the new railway.
‘We are working around the clock with our supply chain and Transport for London to complete and commission the Elizabeth line.’
The new Elizabeth line trains are already operating between Shenfield and Liverpool Street and between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington, in readiness for the full opening.
In October, it was announced both TfL and the Department for Transport had commissioned an independent review of Crossrail’s governance and a separate review of its finance and commercial position.