Major civil‑engineering milestone on HS2 southern approach to Solihull Interchange
Three viaducts that form part of the High Speed 2 alignment on the southern approach to Solihull Interchange station have reached structural completion, HS2’s contractor partnership has confirmed. The works — spanning road crossings, river channels and floodplain — represent a clear step forward for the project in the West Midlands, although detailed finishing tasks remain.
The structures involved are the River Blythe, Balsall Common and Marsh Farm viaducts. They carry the new high‑speed line across a mix of highways, waterways and marshland close to the Interchange site, which is intended to provide a station link to Birmingham Airport and the NEC.
- River Blythe Viaduct — 495 metres; structurally complete but parapet, acoustic barrier and waterproofing work still outstanding.
- Balsall Common Viaduct — 430 metres; main structure complete, with installation of 304 parapets scheduled through to spring 2027.
- Marsh Farm Viaduct — 145 metres; completed in summer 2025 and currently serving as a haul road for adjoining earthworks.
"Structurally complete"
Of the trio, the River Blythe structure is the largest and sits roughly 1.5 miles from the Interchange station location. The deck of the River Blythe viaduct, which reaches about 12 metres in height, is borne by two abutments and 19 concrete piers featuring Y‑shaped splits designed to reduce concrete volume.
Although the primary concrete and steelwork on these viaducts is finished, contractors say further work remains before the structures are fully operational within the wider railway programme. For River Blythe, the final parapets are due in the coming days, but acoustic screens and the last layers of waterproofing still need to be fitted. At Balsall Common, the main deck is complete but delivery and installation of all parapet units will extend into spring 2027.
Local impact and next steps
Balfour Beatty VINCI, HS2’s construction partner on this section, has used the Marsh Farm viaduct as a working platform while adjacent embankment and cutting works continue. That use underscores how completed structures can provide temporary benefits to construction logistics even before they are finished to highway and railway standards.
For residents and road users in and around Solihull, progress on these viaducts is likely to mean continued heavy plant movements, temporary traffic management on local routes, and ongoing environmental mitigation work near watercourses and floodplain. Completion of parapets and acoustic barriers will be relevant to local concerns over noise, visual impact and safety.
| Viaduct | Length | Structural status | Remaining work |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Blythe | 495 m | Structurally complete | Parapets, acoustic barriers, waterproofing |
| Balsall Common | 430 m | Main structure complete | 304 parapets to be installed by spring 2027 |
| Marsh Farm | 145 m | Completed summer 2025 | Used as haul road for nearby earthworks |
HS2 remains a contested project locally and nationally, with supporters pointing to improved connectivity and economic benefits while critics highlight environmental disruption and long construction timetables. These newly completed viaducts reduce some construction risk on the southern approach but do not remove the remaining work needed to integrate this section into the operational high‑speed route.
For Solihull residents, the visible presence of multi‑hundred metre viaducts crossing the landscape will be a permanent change. The Balsall Common crossing spans Station Road and several local rights of way, while River Blythe crosses both the watercourse and Meriden Road near Hampton in Arden. The scale and longevity of the structures mean questions about landscaping, noise mitigation, and local access will remain central as finishing works proceed.
HS2 and its contractors continue to schedule further works and safety checks before the southern approach can be registered as fully complete within the broader programme. Local authorities and community groups will be watching the delivery of parapets, acoustic screens and waterproofing closely, given their direct bearing on noise, safety and flood resilience in the Solihull area.
The structural completion announcement is significant in engineering terms, but it is the forthcoming finishing phases that will determine how the new viaducts perform for nearby communities and how they fit into the promised benefits of the HS2 project for Solihull and the wider West Midlands.
