Sadiq Khan calls for rethink over HS2 terminus at Euston

The Labour former transport minister said the high-speed link with Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester was a “wonderful idea” but that he “shared the concerns” of many residents.

Although the decision lies with the Department for Transport, he said Londoners should “watch this space” while he held a review. “I’ve got concerns whether Euston is the right station for the London part of HS2,” he told LBC Radio. “The disruption during the building works will cause huge inconvenience, as well as the number of homes being destroyed during construction works.

“One of the things I’m looking into is whether you should look at Old Oak Common as a temporary station until some of the issues are dealt with. You’d have fast links with Heathrow, fast links to Crossrail and also far less disruption.”

Mr Khan said he would speak to HS2 chairman David Higgins to ensure the company does “the right thing by” Camden. The Mayor’s still-to-be-confirmed deputy mayor for transport, Lord Adonis, is one of the architects of Britain’s next generation of high-speed rail plans and sits on the HS2 board.

Britain’s most senior civil servant, Sir Jeremy Heywood, is understood to be analysing HS2 to trim costs and gauge whether the £55 billion project can keep within budget. Terminating the line at Old Oak Common could deliver major savings.

Project chiefs said they were looking forward to meeting the Mayor to discuss HS2, however they appeared to pour cold water on his proposal.

A spokesman said: “We are committed to Euston as the London terminus for HS2. The majority of passengers travelling to London on HS2 will want to travel to the centre of the capital.

"Crossrail would not have the capacity to cope with additional demand from terminating HS2 services at Old Oak Common.”

A DFT Spokesman said: “HS2 is vital for the future of our railways, and will improve connectivity, promote growth and regeneration, and create thousands of jobs. A revamped Euston station will play a crucial role in delivering these benefits, enabling passengers to travel directly into central London as quickly as possible. Terminating at Old Oak Common would not provide the same benefits.

“With a project of this scale, some disruption is necessary, but we expect HS2 Ltd to put a robust plan in place to manage any impact on residents and passengers.”