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Over the past few months, we have introduced a number of improvements to the HS2 website and how we share information with you. As part of this work, we have now moved the contents of the HS2 in Hertfordshire website to the In your area section of the HS2 website.
We will continue to provide local webpages and publish information about the progress of the railway in your area.
We have also published local community landing pages for each section of the route. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area.
We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from us and haven't already registered, please sign up directly at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it. Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .
We will no longer use this platform or Commonplace to publish information or issue emails to you. This website has now been archived. You can still access the materials that were originally available on this website by visiting the HS2 in Hertfordshire overview page .
Contact us if you have any questions
If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
As part of our ongoing pledge to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you .
This is a reminder that we're moving your local website within the HS2 website.
This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.
We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.
We are now in the final stages of this transition which is expected to be completed by mid-August, however we will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.
Join the HS2 mailing list to continue to receive updates from HS2 about the projectWe will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.
Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .
Contact us if you have any questions
If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
This is a reminder that as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you and are moving your local website within the HS2 website.
The contents of this website will be moving over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website, and we are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project to give you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.
There are local community landing pages which have been published for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe, providing information about the HS2 route within each area. We will be adding further pages and information to each area in the coming weeks.
We are now in the final stages of this transition which is expected to be completed by mid-August, however, we will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.
Join the HS2 mailing list to continue to receive updates from HS2 about the projectWe will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.
Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .
Contact us if you have any questions
If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
To mark the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology , we are holding a series of free online events so you can get involved and find out more about what treasures are being unearthed as we build the country's new high speed railway. The Festival of Archaeology runs from July 17 - August 1, shining a light on our past and how our ancestors lived.
Subjects we will be covering in the free online 'webinars' include:
We will also be holding our fourth weekend of open days at our Field Museum at St Mary's Church in Stoke Mandeville on Saturday 24 July and Sunday 25 July.
Inside a specially constructed tent the size of a football pitch, archaeologists working on our behalf are currently excavating the remains of the former parish church of St. Mary the Virgin. This is a once in a generation opportunity to excavate the ruins of a medieval church and churchyard. Inside the museum you can ascend the viewing platform for a bird’s eye view of ongoing excavations, as well as displays, films and finds to explore the history of St. Mary’s Church and the amazing archaeological discoveries in the surrounding area.
We’d love to welcome you onto site to explore this fascinating excavation, where you can learn about life and death in Stoke Mandeville over more than 800 years.
Tickets are available to book from 10am on Tuesday July 13 and booking will close at 5pm on Thursday July 22 .
Visit our event our events page to view details and book your ticketsDetailed joining instructions including our Health and Safety statement will be sent to all registered attendees closer to the time.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
As part of our extensive environmental programme, our contractors have now planted 700,000 trees and created over 100 wildlife sites along the route between the West Midlands and London .
The wildlife sites represent a mix of different habitat types, including grassland, woodland, scrub and ponds, and are already havens for wildlife including birds, bats, barn owls, badgers, great crested newts, butterflies and dragonflies.
Alongside our environmental contractors, we have designed tailored ecology plans that provide habitats for local wildlife and protected species including new badger setts, bat houses, bird boxes, reptile banks and bug houses, along with wildflower seeding, aquatic habitat creation and the reintroduction of native flora to help local wildlife populations thrive.
Up to 7 million trees will eventually be planted alongside the line from the West Midlands to London and we will leave behind more than 33 square kilometres of new woodland, wildlife and river habitats - the equivalent of 23 new Hyde Parks lining the spine of the country.
In addition, our Woodland Fund has also allocated over £1.2m as part of a grant scheme managed by the Forestry Commission, with 213,000 trees already planted including 92 hectares of new woodland creation and 52 hectares of ancient woodland restoration. For example, a project at Avon Wood in Warwickshire has created a diverse new 11-hectare woodland within three miles of the new railway. More than 18,000 new trees have been planted there, with 30% of the woodland being oak, with the rest mainly made up of hornbeam, alder, beech, lime, holly and birch.
We are continuing to progress with potential new schemes to be supported through the Woodland Fund, which could eventually support an additional 440 hectares of new native woodland creation as well as the restoration of 245 hectares of existing ancient woodland sites. Every habitat site is designed specifically to support local biodiversity, to link up existing wildlife habitats and create ecological networks which help to protect, maintain and enhance biodiversity and allow species to move through the landscape.
Examples of new habitats sites include:
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
This week we have launched ‘Cecilia’, the second of the two tunnelling machines that will excavate the ten mile long tunnels beneath the Chiltern hills. The first machine ‘Florence’ was launched just over a month ago.
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is named after pioneering astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, who was born in Buckinghamshire, with the name suggested by pupils at the nearby Chalfont Community College and chosen in a public vote. It will operate alongside an identical machine named ‘Florence’, with each machine excavating separate northbound and southbound tunnels and will help to safeguard the woodland and wildlife habitats above ground.
Despite starting second, Cecilia will run slightly faster, aided by geological data fed back from Florence, meaning that both machines are due to break through at around the same time.
In total there will be ten TBMs working to create 64 miles of tunnel between London and the West Midlands for the high speed rail project which is already securing jobs and helping the UK to build back better from the pandemic. More than 16,000 jobs and over 500 apprenticeships are already being supported by the project which is set to transform transport links between Britain’s major cities, free up space on the rail network for more freight and local services and support the UK’s transition to net zero carbon emissions.
The first two TBMs are operated by our main works contractor, Align – a joint venture between Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – and launched from a site by the M25 to the north west of London. Designed specifically for the mix of chalk and flints under the Chilterns, the two identical TBMs are powered by zero carbon electricity and move at a speed of up to 15 metres a day. Each machine operates as a self-contained underground factory - digging the tunnel, lining it with concrete wall segments and grouting them into place.
Each tunnel will require 56,000 precision engineered, fibre-reinforced segments – which will all be made on site. A crew of 17 people will operate each TBM, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They will be supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. Chalk excavated from the tunnels will be used for landscaping at the south portal site once construction is complete, creating wildlife-rich chalk grassland habitats across 127 hectares of the southern Chiltern hills.
Align is recruiting 1,200 personnel in total, including 100 apprentices, to work on the Central 1 Area of Phase One that it is delivering and are targeting their recruitment and investment to upskilling local people who are currently unemployed, with a particular focus on women, the under 25s and those with disabilities.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
As part of our ongoing pledge to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you .
This is a reminder that we're moving your local website within the HS2 website
This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.
We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.
We are aiming to complete this exercise next month (July) and will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.
Join the HS2 mailing list to continue to receive updates from HS2 about the projectWe will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.
Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .
Contact us if you have any questions
If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
We have obtained approval for an ambitious scheme which will use material excavated from the Chiltern tunnels to create 127 hectares of new chalk grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats around the tunnel’s south portal .
The ‘Colne Valley Western Slopes’ project – which was approved under Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act by Three Rivers District Council and Buckinghamshire Council – will see the transformation of what is now a construction site into one of the largest areas of new chalk grassland in the Chiltern hills.
This will sit alongside new areas of woodland, wood pasture and wetlands, including almost 65,000 trees and shrubs of 32 species and nearly 3.5km of new hedgerows. Around 4.5km of new footpath, cycling and horse-riding routes will give the public access to large parts of the site, which sits between the Colne Valley Regional Park and the Chilterns AONB.
Find out more about the Chiltern tunnel chalk grassland projectThe plans have been developed by our main works contractor, Align (a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick), working with Jacobs and LDA Design. As well as the landscaping, the approval also includes the design of the south portal itself and associated service buildings. Going forward, we and our contractors will continue to work closely with the planning authorities to develop the final restoration of the site.
For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
We would like to invite you to online information events highlighting the ways in which we are preserving the quality and supply of water during our works in the Chilterns and the Colne Valley .
These online "webinars" have been set up to give residents the opportunity to hear and ask questions about:
Our team of experts will provide a presentation on the ways in which our construction has been designed to reduce impacts on ground and surface water. They will be available to answer any questions you may have during the event in a Question and Answer section.
Tickets are available via Eventbrite for the events on the following dates:
Please note registration closes 2 hours before each live event starts.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
This is a reminder that as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we will be introducing a number of improvements to the ways in which we share information with you .
We’re moving your local website within the HS2 website
This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.
We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.
We are aiming to complete this exercise in July this year and will write to you to confirm this closer to the time.
We’re asking you to sign up for notifications to continue to receive updates from HS2
We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.
Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .
Contact us if you have any questions
If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project we are introducing a number of improvements to the ways in which we share information with you.
We’re moving your local website within the HS2 websiteThis summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.
These changes will help to
We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.
Once we have moved all of the key pages and information from this website onto the HS2 website later this summer, we will stop updating this website. Visitors to this website will be signposted to the new pages within HS2.org.uk
At this point, we will stop publishing updates to this website and you will no longer receive email notifications from this website.
We are aiming to complete this exercise in July this year and will write to you to confirm this closer to the time.
We’re making changes to the way we share updates with you by emailIn addition to moving the local website we are also taking this opportunity to improve our mailing lists and create greater flexibility around how you receive information from us.
We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.
If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.
Once we have moved across all of the pages and information from this website over to the HS2 website we will stop issuing emails from this website. Instead, you will receive emails directly from us about the parts of the project that you’ve expressed an interest in.
The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.
Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe on our Personal information charter .
Contact us if you have any questionsIf you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.
We have today announced the launch of ‘Florence’ – the first of 10 HS2 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that will dig 64 miles of tunnel on Phase One of the UK’s new high speed railway. ‘Florence’ was launched from our South Portal site next to the M25 in West Hyde, Hertfordshire, at an event attended by HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson .
Florence, at 170m-long – the largest ever used on a UK rail project – will dig 10 miles of tunnel under the Chilterns, operating 24/7 for the next three years. Designed specifically for the mix of chalk and flints under the Chilterns, Florence and her identical TBM 'Cecilia,' will dig separate tunnels for north and southbound trains. Each machine operates as a self-contained underground factory - digging the tunnel, lining it with concrete wall segments and grouting them into place at a speed of around 15 metres a day. Each tunnel will require 56,000 precision engineered, fibre-reinforced segments – which will all be made on site.
A crew of 17 people will operate each TBM, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They will be supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. Chalk excavated from the tunnels will be used for landscaping at the south portal site once construction is complete, creating wildlife-rich chalk grassland habitats across 127 hectares of the southern Chiltern hills. Find out more about HS2's tunnelling programme .
Named after nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale – a name suggested by local children due to her residence at nearby Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, and chosen in a public vote – the TBM will dig the first of a pair of 10 mile long tunnels under the Chiltern hills and help to safeguard the woodland and wildlife habitats above ground, before emerging near Hyde Heath. A second machine ‘Cecilia’ will launch next month to excavate the second tunnel at the South Portal site.
Built by Herrenknecht, a world leader in TBM manufacturing, at its factory in south-west Germany, the two 170m long machines were transported to the UK in more than 300 separate shipments last year , before being reassembled, tested and commissioned by an expert team of tunnelling engineers at the Chiltern tunnel south portal site, near the M25 to the north-west of London.
The first two TBMs will be operated by main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick.
Align is recruiting 1,200 personnel in total, including 100 apprentices, to work on this area of the project and are targeting their recruitment and investment in upskilling local people who are currently unemployed, with a particular focus on women, the under 25s and those with disabilities, helping us support the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs to protect, support and create employment during the COVID-19 crisis.
The names of the two TBMs were suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon and The Chalfonts Community College, Buckinghamshire, which are close to the tunnel launch site. They were inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern medicine, and pioneering astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin.
Useful linksIf you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Our dedicated education pages on the HS2 website have undergone a major redesign, with a collection of new resources to help teachers bring a careers context to curriculum learning with the aim of inspiring young people to take an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects and careers .
Teachers are able to find relevant resources much more easily through the introduction of a filter function, there are new resources available with supporting videos and also a workshop delivery guide with activities tailored to pupils ranging from the ages of 5 all the way up to 18.
View the new look educational resources pages - download guides, lesson plans, videos and worksheetsThe fresh look of the educational resources follows on from the introduction earlier this year of a suite of curriculum-linked projects designed to help teachers and parents home schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic when we were unable to deliver our regular programme of STEM workshops and schools were less able to take students 'off-curriculum' for career-themed activities during lockdown.
Created by our Skills, Employment and Education team, the resource pages include plans for STEM lessons which teachers can use to introduce a careers context to regular curriculum lessons. Activities take around 1-2 hours to complete and include using maths skills to work out how to construct a bridge across a motorway, researching the ecology of great created newts to create new habitats and using archaeological information to interpret the history of a site. Pupils also have the opportunity to design a new product to improve the customer experience when travelling by train and use their science skills to create an environmental improvement plan for their school.
We have also included a delivery guide for teachers who would like to run a STEM inspiration day in their school. This includes videos, teacher notes, presentations and worksheets for activities where students can develop their skills through hands-on and team build challenges to inspire them to become EPIC (Extraordinary People Initiating Change) engineers. Students develop their STEM powers, exploring the essential skills that are needed to be successful in a STEM career. Activities are underpinned by examples from the world of work, with students finding out about careers in transport infrastructure as they take on different roles in the challenges.
Activities include 'Stations of the Future': a team-based design-and-present activity where students compete to design a futuristic train station considering future trends and the needs of all customers and also tunnel building, where students design, construct and test a supporting structure for a cut and cover tunnel.
We have also introduced STEM projects accredited by the British Science Association, which, when completed, can be entered for a CREST Award. These are longer projects aimed at inspiring pupils to become scientists and engineers that encourage students to carry out independent research or investigation. The target age and duration of the projects vary.
The updated online resources also include activities adapted for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to encourage them to think about pursuing STEM careers. Downloadable lessons for SEND students include working in teams to design a train station, learning about ecosystems and building an insect hotel, and preparing for independent rail travel through role play.
Younger students aged between 7-11 can also get involved in shorter activities ranging from making rail tracks from everyday materials, solving puzzles and planning a railway route.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Ambitious plans to create 127 hectares of new grasslands and woodlands around the southern portal of our Chilterns tunnel have been enabled by an innovative solution to reuse the waste chalk slurry generated during the tunnel’s construction .
Two giant tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will spend three years boring out 2.6 million cubic metres of chalk beneath the hills to create the new high speed rail network’s 10-mile long twin bore tunnel. The chalk cut away by the 170-metre long TBMs will be mixed with water before being pumped out as slurry back along the tunnel to its entrance.
Slurry from boring the tunnels will be processed on site at a construction base just inside the M25 motorway – avoiding the need to transport the waste off site for reprocessing elsewhere. Once out of the tunnel, the chalk and water slurry will be separated on site in a giant, purpose-built slurry treatment plant (pictured) where it will be pressed through ever-finer filters until all the water is removed to leave behind a dry chalky “cake”.
One of the key challenges the separation process faces is preventing the thickening slurry from clogging up the filtering machinery. Working with its supplier MS, which has delivered the slurry treatment plant, our civils contractor Align opted to use a polymer specifically developed to be effective with Chilterns chalk, which will enable the entire separation process to happen in around a week.
The chalk cake will be used to deliver the Colne Valley Western Slopes project - part of our Green Corridor programme to re-establish the locally distinctive chalk valley landscape and create the right growing conditions for calcareous grassland across the site.
The initiative will be a major contributor in helping us meet our carbon reduction targets by delivering significant ecological gain in the Colne Valley, reducing road haulage, and enabling habitats to sequester carbon by replacing arable land with natural habitats. Almost 65,000 trees and shrubs comprising 32 species will be planted together with nearly 3.5km of new hedgerows. Around 90 hectares of chalk grasslands will be created and areas of historic woodland reinstated.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Our construction partner for the Chilterns Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct, Align joint venture, has taken an innovative step to reduce the use of single use plastic on its construction sites .
Analysis of Align’s purchasing data showed that the joint venture, which is made up of three companies, Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick, was using over 100,000 pairs of disposable blue plastic overshoes in indoor areas at its construction sites every month.
Neil Hancox, Align’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director, who spotted the data trend collaborated with the company’s family-run supplier of construction consumables to come up with an innovative and more environmentally friendly solution. Within a matter of weeks, Crawley-based OnSite Support Ltd returned with a prototype shoe made from recycled Taslan.
Each pair of the newly designed overshoes contains recycled material from six plastic bottles. The product is also fully washable and has an anti-slip sole to offer better grip on slippery surfaces. The new shoes, which have been developed in three different sizes to meet the needs of male and female workers, are now in use across our Align construction sites. Within the first month, the shoe covers had proven effective in reducing littering as well as contributing to Align’s target to ensure that 70% of plastic is recycled or reused by the end of the project.
OnSite Support is among the latest innovation-led SMEs to join our supply chain. Over 2,000 companies have already won work on the project, 70% of which are SMEs and over 95% are based in the UK.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
We would like to invite you to our second ‘You Said, We Did’ online event and virtual exhibition to share the final design for the Chiltern Tunnel South Portal and the design for the surrounding landscape. This online 'webinar' will take place on Thursday, 25 March, from 6.30-8pm and has been set up to give the local community the opportunity to hear from the team designing and building the railway in your area.
Since spring 2018 we have held a series of information events with the local community to share details on the progress of the designs, construction, and to seek views and respond to feedback for the Colne Valley Western Slopes, the South Portal and Colne Valley Viaduct. The webinars and online exhibition are the latest in that series.
Sign up to our online event to find out moreDue to Covid-19 we have postponed all public face-to-face engagement events and meetings, but we will continue to find new ways to involve the community. At the online ‘You Said, We Did’ event, you will hear from the team designing and building the railway and our team of experts will also be available to answer any questions you may have.
During the session we will:
This event will take place on:
View or download our Chiltern Tunnel South Portal and Colne Valley Western Slopes 'You Said, We Did' engagement boards, March 2021:
Useful links
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Preparations for the launch of our first giant tunnelling machines increased this week as the first of 112,000 wall segments for the Chiltern tunnel rolled off a purpose-built production line at the project’s tunnelling HQ close to the M25 .
The project’s first two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) - named Florence and Cecilia - are due to launch in early summer. Each of the 170-metre long, 2,000-tonne machines will spend more than three years underground, digging and slotting the wall segments into place to create the 10-mile long tunnels.
Made of high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete, the segments are being produced at a temporary pre-cast factory next to the TBM launch pads at what will be the south portal of the tunnels. This will avoid putting extra HGVs on local roads and ensure a steady supply of segments for the TBMs.
Construction of the Chiltern tunnel, and nearby Colne Valley Viaduct, is being led by our main works contractor, Align JV - a joint venture made up of three companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Work on the two structures will support around 1,200 jobs.
Once construction is complete, the pre-cast factory and the rest of the south portal site will be cleared, with the chalk excavated from the tunnels used to landscape the site and create high-quality chalk grassland and other wildlife habitats.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge began this week, with an expert team of ground engineers sinking the first of almost 300 piles that will form the foundations for the Colne Valley Viaduct .
The viaduct, which will carry the new high-speed rail line for 3.4km across a series of lakes and waterways on the north west outskirts of London, will be almost a kilometre longer than the Forth Rail Bridge and carry trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph.
Set low in the landscape, the design was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal.
The structure will be supported by 56 piers, with the widest spans reserved for where the viaduct crosses the lakes, and narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement the natural surroundings.
Over the next year, engineers from HS2 Ltd’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – will construct 292 piles under the ground to support the viaduct piers.
On top of each group of piles – some of which will go up to 55m into the ground - a concrete pile cap will support the pier which will in turn support the full 6,000 tonne weight of the bridge structure above. Instead of hammering the piles into the ground, holes will be bored before being backfilled to create the pile. The main deck of the viaduct will be built in sections at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south.
Over the last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods. These will be monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction in order to protect the natural environment.
An extensive programme of test piling has already been completed with engineers sinking 12 piles at two locations with geological and structural data from these tests fed back into the design of the viaduct. This has resulted in a 10-15% reduction in the depth of the piles and associated time and cost savings.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have introduced a new, user-friendly interactive map to the HS2 website, making it easier and simpler for you to find out what current and upcoming works we are carrying out in your area .
The new In your area map brings all of our work notifications together on one page, making it easier for you to navigate and ensure you are kept up-to-date on the work we are doing to deliver the new railway. There is also a text only view , which allows you to view the information in a table and filter results for each area.
Each work item, highlighted on the map with a 'hard hat' icon, lets you know:
You can easily see any other works we might be doing nearby, also pinpointed with an icon.
We will be introducing further improvements to the mapping tool and to this local website over the coming months. We will keep you informed of changes as they happen through our regular email notifications and our local engagement events and activities.
We'd like your feedbackWe'd like to know what you think about the new mapping tool and ways that we can improve it, to ensure that you can easily find information about the delivery of the railway in your area and how to contact us if you have any questions.
Let us know your views by completing our In your area map feedback survey .
Contact us if you have any questionsIf you have any questions about the recent changes or would like some help using the new interactive map, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
An ambitious scheme designed by our landscape architects, ecologists, engineers and soil specialists, aims to reuse construction materials to create 127 hectares of new chalk grassland, woodland, wood pasture and wetland habitats that will substantially enhance the local natural environment.
Chiltern Tunnel South Portal Aerial View
The Colne Valley Western Slopes project will be a major contributor to help meet our carbon reduction targets by delivering significant ecological gains. It will also reduce the carbon footprint of the project by cutting road haulage and waste treatment activities and arable land will be replaced with natural habitats.
Plant species and habitats are being carefully selected to be resilient to a changing climate. Almost 65,000 trees and 32 species of shrubs will be planted, together with nearly 3.5km of new hedgerows. Around 90 hectares of calcareous grasslands, which once thrived on the valley slopes, will also be established and areas of historic woodland reinstated. The project, being designed and delivered by our civils contractor Align, will provide wider health and recreation benefits for neighbouring communities, including providing new connected green spaces and around 4.5km of new footpath, cycling and horse-riding routes.
Arable land that is initially needed for a major works compound to construct the Colne Valley Viaduct and Chilterns Tunnel will be transformed by reusing existing soils and recycling three million m3 of chalk taken from the tunnel excavation, as well as concrete and limestone aggregate materials used in the construction process. Reusing materials instead of transporting them away by road will significantly reduce carbon, while the excavated material will be used to re-establish the distinctive local chalk valley landscape, replicate natural drainage flows and establish the right growing conditions for calcareous grassland across the site.
Calcareous grasslands, which develop on shallow soils overlying chalk or limestone, are a valuable, scarce and rapidly declining habitat in the UK, with this decline reflected in both the Colne Valley and adjacent Chiltern Hills. The neighbouring Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is currently thought to support around 700 hectares of chalk grassland.
This collaborative project will provide a unique opportunity to create one of the largest extents of such habitat in this area. New planting and seeding will create an extensive mosaic of habitat that will potentially be colonised by hundreds of species of flora and fauna, including invertebrates, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Align is currently preparing the site for the launch of the two tunnel boring machines that will excavate the 16km-long Chiltern Tunnels. Once launched in 2021, the site will receive a continuous supply of chalk until tunnel completion in 2024. Field trials are in preparation ahead of final seeding, and planting of trees and shrubs in 2025. At peak, around 1,200 people are expected to be employed in the design and construction of the Chiltern tunnels and the viaduct, with 50 opportunities for apprentices.
Sign up to our online events to find out moreYou will be able to see the full plans at our dedicated ‘You Said, We Did’ online webinars which are taking place on:
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We would like to invite you to our ‘You Said, We Did’ online events and virtual exhibition to share the final design for the Chiltern Tunnel South Portal and the design for the surrounding landscape. These online 'webinars' have been set up to give the local community the opportunity to hear from the team designing and building the railway in your area.
Since spring 2018 we have held a series of information events with the local community to share details on the progress of the designs, construction, and to seek views and respond to feedback for the Colne Valley Western Slopes, the South Portal and Colne Valley Viaduct. The webinars and online exhibition are the latest in that series.
View or download our Chiltern Tunnel South Portal and Colne Valley Western Slopes 'You Said, We Did' engagement boards, March 2021:
Due to Covid-19 we have postponed all public face-to-face engagement events and meetings, but we will continue to find new ways to involve the community.
At the online ‘You Said, We Did’ events, you will hear from the team designing and building the railway and our team of experts will also be available to answer any questions you may have.
During the sessions we will:
This event is being held on two dates, please select which date to you would like to attend when registering:
Useful links
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We are delighted to announce that from today (Monday, February 22), applications are now open for residents across Phase One and Phase 2a of the HS2 route to become Local Community Representatives .
As part of the Construction Commissioner Steering Group (CCSG), you will represent your community, share and communicate a range of experiences and perspectives as Britain’s new high-speed railway is built, and also help to monitor the performance of the Independent Construction Commissioner (ICC).
We are seeking to recruit a number of Local Community Representatives to sit on the CCSG, which is independent of HS2 and the Department for Transport. The Group meets three to four times a year, in either Birmingham or London (when attending physical meetings) and also virtually.
For more details about these exciting opportunities and how to apply, please click on the links below. If you have any questions about the CCSG or about becoming a Local Community Representative, you can also contact: community@hs2.org.uk
Applications close on Friday, March 26, 2021 .
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have introduced a new and innovative approach to tackling Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS), saving money - an estimated £1.8m in the Colne Valley - time, and carbon output by minimising soil excavation and heavily reducing waste to landfill.
INNS are recognised as a major cause of biodiversity loss in the UK, and are unwelcome intruders in many areas. Non-native plants such as Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogweed and Rhododendron are becoming more common to our landscapes, to the detriment of native habitats. Working with AECOM, we have implemented an effective strategy which drastically reduces waste creation, only implementing offsite disposal of soil contaminated with INNS and their seeds if other solutions are not feasible.
Traditionally on infrastructure projects, all soil containing INNS plants, rhizomes and seeds would be removed from site, including excavation of a larger buffer zone, and disposed of according to current legislation for controlled waste. Instead, we are implementing measures focused on biosecurity and ‘surgical’ excavation, avoiding most of the costs and lorry movements associated with waste disposal, while assuring removal of the problem.
Our contractor Fusion JV worked with specialists in AECOM to manage a range of INNS, including the removal of significant areas of Japanese Knotweed in the Colne Valley area. Minimising excavation saves substantial time, cost and carbon footprint by heavily reducing waste to landfill, resulting in cost savings estimated at £1.8m. The site preparation works by Fusion JV for the 3.5km Colne Valley Viaduct involved extensive herbicide treatment followed by 4,700m3 of Japanese Knotweed-infested soil removal, all executed with strict biosecurity protocols within the Mid Colne Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Conventional excavation of the Japanese Knotweed would have required vastly more soil to be removed, including areas adjacent to waterbodies in the Colne Valley, which would have necessitated major temporary works and significantly more waste disposal and imported backfill. Through a more strategic approach involving avoidance, partial removal, selective re-use, and capping instead of simply transporting away soil potentially impacted by INNS material, the excavation requirements were less than 30% of original estimates.
AECOM uses an array of different methodologies focused on biosecurity, including soil protection, fencing and washdown stations, as well as in situ herbicide treatment. Alongside detailed specialist surveys and minimised excavations, this approach reduces environmental impacts and lorry loads of waste that would otherwise be transported away from site to landfill.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have launched our brand-new jobs site to promote the estimated 20,000 roles that Phase One of the project is creating in the months and years ahead, the first time all opportunities to work directly on HS2 have been available to search in one place.
This follows the Prime Minister's announcement of the 22,000 job opportunities available on the high speed rail project, when officially starting construction in September 2020. The initiative has the backing of the Department for Work and Pensions and a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out the agreed roles and responsibilities of HS2 Ltd and its job brokerage partners, is in place between the two organisations.
The new digital platform, hosted on the HS2 website , offers those looking for work or a change of career, the opportunity to search the very latest vacancies with our construction partners and station contractors delivering the London to Birmingham section of the railway. The jobs board allows prospective candidates to search for vacancies by region or specialism, so they can quickly identify opportunities that match their criteria.
In September 2020, our four main works contractors and two station construction partners estimated that they would create over 20,000 jobs to support the decade-long construction programme for Phase One of the project. The jobs board, highlighting opportunities to work with us within the supply chain, makes it easier for jobseekers to navigate and find a position that matches their career aspirations.
It has been developed as part of a job brokerage partnership model, bringing together local authorities, enterprise partnerships, charities and employment support services along the 140-mile route of the first phase of the new railway. Job brokerage partners will play an integral role in supporting individuals from local communities, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups into employment on the project, in line with objectives set out in our Skills, Employment and Education Strategy.
We have already supported 13,000 jobs, including more than 400 new apprenticeship starts and over 550 previously unemployed individuals. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we and our contractors also supported over 100 work experience placements to ensure that individuals are actively engaged with the programme and have the very best opportunity to capitalise on future career openings.
The start of main construction works last year was a catalyst for the project, spearheading £12bn of contract opportunities which British businesses are beginning to bid for. As our tier one contractors begin procuring suppliers and services required to deliver their work packages, the number of job opportunities will increase. This heightened demand has created new career pathways and long-term career prospects for individuals at all levels, in both blue and white-collar roles.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Competing against 500 other nominees worldwide, HS2’s main works civils contractor Align JV and civil engineering company Roadbridge have won a Green Apple Environment Award in the Innovation category for their use of thermal camera drones to spot Skylark nests.
The Green Apple Awards are run by the Green Organisation – an independent international environment group that recognises, rewards and promotes environmental best practice around the world.
A thermal camera drone used for surveys
Align JV, responsible for delivering the section of the highspeed railway which includes the Chiltern Tunnel and the Colne Valley Viaduct, worked with its contractor Roadbridge, to introduce thermal camera drones to dramatically improve the accuracy of nesting birds’ surveys, helping to protect the species and enable faster and more effective results for ecologists working on the project.
As ground-nesting birds with well camouflaged nests, Skylarks are very difficult to survey. However, using a thermal camera, the drone can calibrate to the ground temperature and other objects to lock onto a heat source and identify the birds’ nests extremely accurately. This includes birds on the nest, eggs on the nest and birds sheltering on the ground.
At 12 metres above ground level the drone captures an area of approximately 9m2, which reduces search times and provides a clear perspective from a 90 degree view of the ground below. Exclusion zones are then put on Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings and into the Global Positioning System (GPS) of machinery working on site to let operators know when they are working near exclusion zones, to protect nests and allow works to progress safely.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
With many parents supporting children who are learning at home during the current time, we have developed a range of interesting curriculum-linked projects to work on at home. These include shorter activities ideal for families supporting younger children with learning at home and pre-planned lessons that secondary school teachers could set students as part of their curriculum learning.
The online resources were created as a result of us being unable to visit schools to deliver our regular programme of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshops because of Covid-19 restrictions and also schools being less able to take students 'off-curriculum' for career-themed activities due to the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Our Skills, Employment and Education team has created plans for STEM lessons which teachers can use to introduce a careers context to regular curriculum lessons. The activities are expected to take 1-2 hours to complete and are aimed primarily at 11-14 year-olds. Lessons include using maths skills to decide on how to construct a bridge across a motorway, researching the ecology of great created newts to create new habitats and using archaeological information to interpret the history of a site. There are also longer STEM projects and workshops available online, where students can develop their skills through hands-on and team build challenges to inspire them to become EPIC engineers.
During the past year, five HS2 colleagues have become Enterprise Advisors for schools for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our work with these schools revealed a demand for STEM activities adapted for SEND students, to encourage them to consider STEM careers. Online lessons for SEND students include working in teams to design a train station, learning about ecosystems and building an insect hotel, and preparing for independent rail travel through role play.
Younger students aged between 7-11 can also get involved in shorter activities ranging from making rail tracks from everyday materials, solving puzzles and planning a railway route.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Over 300,000 trees will be planted by our specialist ecology teams across the Phase One route during the winter months, taking the total number of trees planted between London and the Midlands to more than 730,000 by this spring .
The planting initiative is part of our extensive Green Corridor programme, designed to create a network of bigger, better-connected, habitats and new green spaces for people to enjoy. 430,000 trees have already been planted across Phase One and up to 7 million trees will eventually be planted along this part of the route, with many new grasslands, meadows and recreational areas for local communities.
This short video highlights progress so far in the delivery of the Green Corridor.
In West Ruislip , planting will create new woodland areas to provide connected habitats for bats . Trees being planted include field maple, hornbeam, hazel, holly, bird cherry, mountain ash, yew and spindle. There will also be areas of grassland and ponds created to protect local biodiversity and create new homes for a mix of wildlife.
Through Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire , advanced planting and woodland compensation planting is being undertaken at West Hyde and Horn Hill, Wendover Dean, Aylesbury, Calvert and near the village of Ladbroke, by specialist ecology and landscape companies.
In Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands , 60,000 trees will be planted at locations around South Cubbington Wood, Ashbeds Wood, Fulfen Wood, Ravenshaw and Broadwells Wood. A broad range of tree and shrub species will be planted to reflect each local area , including oak, hazel, birch, holly and hawthorn. This builds on the 80,000 trees already planted in the Midlands, with 40 ponds and many acres of wetland, heathland and meadow also created across the region.
These areas will quickly develop to create new opportunities for wildlife and people, bolstering local wildlife corridors by linking with existing woodlands and other habitats. New wildlife habitats in a variety of locations also include badger setts, bat houses, bird boxes, reptile banks and bug houses to help local wildlife populations thrive.
Green Corridor prospectus and mapping toolWe have developed a new online map showing where we are delivering Green Corridor activities and highlighting our additional funded environmental projects along the route. You can view relevant Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) projects, the Woodland Fund, other local panel funds, and our environmental works in your area.
The Green Corridor Prospectus accompanies the map, outlining how the Green Corridor and associated funding can benefit communities. Used together, these tools will enable community and environment groups to identify local opportunities to enhance and enjoy the natural environment using the funds available.
Funding is available for a wide range of independent environmental projects to benefit nature and communities along the route , including creating new parks and play facilities, investing in green spaces in urban areas, regenerating areas along canals, and conserving and enhancing the historic environment. By working in partnership with organisations and individuals, the Green Corridor will deliver a positive, long-term legacy for the natural and historic environment , and for people and communities across the country.
On Phase One and Phase 2a, the £7m HS2 Woodland Fund is helping local landowners create new native, broadleaf woodlands and restore existing ancient woodland sites. The first £1.25m has been allocated as part of a grant scheme managed on our behalf by the Forestry Commission, supporting 28 woodland projects that will deliver approximately 105 hectares of new woodland and restore a further 68 hectares of ancient woodland.
For more information about funding available and how local groups can apply please visit www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/hs2-green-corridor
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have recently published some new documents which may be of interest to you. This is part of our commitment to keeping you informed about HS2 progress and construction activities in your area.
Community engagement report: January to June 2020We have published the fifth public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.
This report covers the six-month period from January to June 2020, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the first half of the year, along with currently available data such as from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events we have held.
View and download the Community Engagement Progress Report: January to June 2020 report. A collection of all our reports to date can be found on the HS2 website .
We will continue to publish these reports on a regular basis.
Green Corridor prospectus and mapping toolAs part of our commitment to conserve and enhance Britain’s natural environment as we plan and build the railway, HS2 is creating a Green Corridor along the route, a network of joined up habitats, landscaping and community-based environmental projects.
We have developed an online map showing where we are delivering Green Corridor activities and where additional HS2 funded environmental projects are being delivered along the route. You will be able to use the map to view relevant Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) projects, the Woodland Fund, other local panel funds, and HS2 environmental works in your area.
We have also published a Green Corridor Prospectus to accompany the map. The prospectus outlines the many ways the Green Corridor and associated funding can benefit communities, for example, through the creation of new play facilities, investment in green spaces in urban areas, regeneration along canals, and conservation and enhancement of the historic environment.
Used together the Prospectus and the online map will enable community and environment groups to identify local opportunities to enhance and enjoy the natural environment using the funds available.
As you will know there are a number of grants available to support environmental projects and improve green spaces in your constituency, such as the HS2 Community & Environment Fund and the Woodland Fund. If you would like to know more about how local groups can apply for funding please visit www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/hs2-green-corridor .
Construction activities in your area, Winter 2020We are committed to providing you with information about what construction activities will be happening in your area and when. Our construction forward looks include information on construction, environmental and survey activities planned over the next three months. The latest edition is available to view and download on the works in your area page .
Please note that the dates and information included in the forward look may be subject to change as the programme develops and any changes will be updated in the next edition of the forward look.
HS2 Helpdesk remains available all day, every dayAs a reminder, over the festive period the HS2 Helpdesk will continue to operate all day, every day , including Christmas Day and bank holidays. You can contact us for free on 08081 434 434, by Minicom on 08081 456 472, or by email at HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.
Our first two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have arrived in the UK ahead of their launch early next year. The two 170m-long TBMs are the largest ever used on a UK rail project and will start to be assembled on site this week, ready to begin digging the 10-mile-long Chiltern tunnels.
TBM Florence during manufacture
The two enormous 2,000 tonne machines, named Florence and Cecilia, will now be reassembled, tested and commissioned at the on site by an expert team of tunnelling engineers, before they start work on the high speed rail project’s first tunnels. Built by Herrenknecht, a world leader in TBM manufacturing, at its factory in south-west Germany, the two machines were transported to the UK in more than 300 separate shipments over the course of two months.
Sections of the TBMs ready for assembly on site
The ‘twin bore’ Chiltern tunnel will be the longest on the project and the first to start construction, with the TBMs working underground 24/7 for more than three years. Designed specifically for the mix of chalk and flints under the Chilterns, the two identical TBMs will dig separate tunnels for north and southbound trains, with Florence set to launch first and Cecilia to follow a few weeks behind.
Each machine operates as a self-contained underground factory, which as well as digging the tunnel, will also line it with concrete wall segments and grout them into place as it moves forward at a speed of 15 metres a day. Each tunnel requires 56,000 segments which will all be made on site. A crew of 17 people will operate each TBM, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They will be supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation.
The TBM seals at the South Portal
These first TBMs will be operated by our main works contractor, Align – a joint venture of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Align expects to recruit 1,200 vacancies, with over 100 opportunities for apprentices. Recruitment and investment will be targeted at upskilling unemployed local people, particularly women, under 25s and those with disabilities.
The TBM names were suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon and The Chalfonts Community College, Buckinghamshire, which are close to the tunnel launch site. They were inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern medicine, and pioneering astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. Around 4,500 people from across the UK took part in the poll to select the final names, with Florence taking 40% of the vote and Cecilia a close second with 32%.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We will be holding online information events in December about High Speed Two (HS2) and the construction of the Chiltern Tunnel South Portal and looking ahead to the building of the Colne Valley Viaduct.
These online “webinars” have been set up to give residents the opportunity to hear and ask questions about:
This event is being held on two dates, please select which date to attend when registering;
Please note registration closes 2 hours before each live event starts.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
During January 2020, we asked for views and ideas on some of the detailed aspects of three of our proposed Common Design Elements (CDEs): parapets, piers and lineside noise barriers.
We received 457 replies and our Survey Response Document summarising these has now been published on our website .
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
World-leading onboard robot technology is being harnessed to improve safety and efficiency on our first two giant tunnelling machines, set to launch early next year.
The 'Krokodyl' robot, pioneered by main works contractor, Align, is the first of its kind in the world and will be installed in the two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) used to bore the 16km-long Chiltern tunnels. Similar to robotic arms used on car factory production lines, Krokodyl will perform simple repetitive tasks, removing wooden spacers between tunnel segments and inserting connection dowels – something people would normally do.
As the TBM moves forward, tunnel segments are erected to form a structural watertight ring designed to support the ground loads. Each segment weighs up to eight tonnes and is delivered to the TBM with wooden spacers between them, generally removed by hand. By fully automating this process, the Krokodyl removes the need for people to work in this potentially hazardous area and helps with the installation of the 112,000 tunnel segments. A second feature of the robot, known as the Dobydo, then places the dowels into position ready for the segment to be slotted into place. Automating this process also reduces risk to people and improves safety and efficiency.
The Krokodyl in action
Both 170m-long machines are specifically designed for the mix of chalk and flint they will encounter under the Chilterns. Operating a pioneering ‘continuous boring’ technique, they are expected to take around three years to excavate the 9.1m diameter tunnels which will be lined with a concrete ring made of seven separate segments as they go. They will convert the spoil into slurry which will then be treated before being used for landscaping on-site, removing the need for additional HGVs on local roads.
The 'Florence' TBM
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We are creating two new site entrances and building crossing points for a haul road on the A412 near Denham Water SkiClub on Moorhall Road. This work is in preparation for the creation of a new haul road to support the construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct.
In order to carry out this work we need to put in place a full road closure on the A412 road over two weekends:
This work is being undertaken at weekends to reduce disruption and for the safety of the public. Electronic traffic signs have been in place on the A412 for four weeks to provide updates for road users and will remain in place until works are complete.
We have coordinated these works with the local highway authorities so that a number of utilities services are being diverted in the same location at the same time. Over the next two weekends two new bell mouth entrances are also being constructed which will form our future haul road crossing.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Our HS2 Helpdesk team is available all day, every day to listen and help with any questions you may have about the project. This is a key part of our commitment to keep you informed while we build the new railway.
So if you want to find out more about where it's going, the opportunities available or any other changes it might bring to your area, you can contact our Helpdesk team on:
In most cases, our Helpdesk team will be able to answer your question straight away, but if they can’t then they'll work with our local teams in your area to respond.
For more information about our Helpdesk and how to get in touch with us, please visit www.hs2.org.uk/helpdesk
To mark the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology , we are holding a series of free online events so you can get involved and find out more about what treasures are being unearthed as we build the country's new high speed railway. The event, now in its 29th year, is being held from October 24 - November 1, shining a light on our past and how our ancestors lived.
A day in the life of a HS2 ArchaeologistIf you've ever wondered what an archaeologist does when they’re at work, then or webinar A day in the life of a HS2 Archaeologist on Monday October 26 (12.15 - 12.50pm) is for you!
The session will explore the academic choices and professional job roles which led some of our archaeologists to their careers working on HS2. Hosted by one of our Historic Environment Managers and main works civils contractor CSJV’s Archaeological Lead, this webinar focuses on the careers of Dr Emma Hopla and Dr Emma Tetlow.
They will discuss a typical week in the life of the Archaeological Client and the Archaeological Contractor, as well as some of the exciting discoveries they have made along the way. You will also be able to ask the team questions via a live Q&A chat.
Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page
An Introduction to HS2 Archaeology: Staffordshire and CheshireOur second session, An Introduction to HS2 Archaeology: Staffordshire and Cheshire , highlights how our archaeological works on Phase 2a from Fradley to Crewe, which cross north Staffordshire and East Cheshire, build upon our experiences and discoveries from Phase One, revealing new insights and findings about the history of this landscape.
Led by Chris Jordan, our Historic Environment Manager for Phase 2a, this talk will introduce the heritage along the Phase 2a route, including the influence of the landscape, and discuss what we are trying to discover, how we do it, and what exciting finds we might expect over the next few years.
You will be able to ask Chris and the team questions via a live Q&A chat during the online event which takes place on Tuesday October 27 (12.15 - 12.50pm) .
Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page
An Introduction to St Mary's in Stoke MandevilleOur final webinar focuses on the archaeological works carried out at St Mary's Church in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire.
An Introduction to St Mary's in Stoke Mandeville on Wednesday October 28 (12.15 - 12.50pm) will be led by Guy Hunt, Partner at LP Archaeology, alongside experts from HS2 and Fusion. Guy and the team will explain how the site is a fantastic opportunity for archaeologists to examine and understand a landscape which has been occupied by humans for thousands of years, dating back to the Bronze Age.
The team will be available to answer your questions during a live Q&A chat option.
Please be warned that the presentation will contain images of human remains (skeletons).
Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Three Rivers District Council has granted planning permission for a new artist-designed landscaped play area for Maple Cross JMI school in Rickmansworth, bringing a request to HS2 from a local pupil to life.
The ambitious project to redesign the school’s grounds was initiated by a letter to HS2 from a child in Year Six at Maple Cross JMI, which asked that some of the material being excavated at the nearby South Portal construction site be brought to the school to “make a mound to roll down”.
After receiving the letter, HS2 developed a year-long programme of engagement between artist and designer Emily Cropton and the pupils, staff and wider community, in order to make the pupil’s wish come true.
The project involved educational workshops with school children in different year groups, in which they learnt about local history and the natural environment, and developed ideas for the design of their new play space.
Planning permission granted by Three Rivers District Council now means that HS2’s main works contractor Align will start the landscaping phase of the project by moving soil from its construction site 600 metres south of the school.
During the Autumn, Align’s local contractors will work with Emily Cropton to create the new play area which will include an orchard of fruit trees, a meadow of flowering plants, an area of scattered tree trunks for climbing, and a willow tunnel. There will also be a fossil wall built of clay bricks designed with the children, showing what might be found at Maple Cross in another two million years and the stories these fossils will pass on.
This project was commissioned by HS2 and delivered with the kind support of Align JV. To find out more about our works at the South Portal please click here .
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
September is an exciting time to learn about the mysteries of the past and how our ancestors lived as we host a series of fascinating online archaeology events as part of Heritage Open Days 2020. In addition, a major three-part documentary will be shown on BBC Two from Tuesday, September 15, exploring the discoveries found in Britain’s largest ever archaeological programme.
Before construction work began, and any track is laid, over 1,000 archaeologists, across more than 60 sites between London and the West Midlands, have been carefully uncovering the secrets of Britain’s past. The BBC series, ' HS2 – The Biggest Dig ' will focus on two major cemetery excavations – one adjacent to London’s Euston station and the other in Park Street, next to Birmingham Curzon Street station – the sites of our two new terminals.
For three years, our archaeologists have been giving TV documentary makers, Lion TV, exclusive access to archaeological sites being excavated as part of the project and the series is presented by anthropologist and anatomist Professor Alice Roberts and historian Dr Yasmin Khan.
HS2 Archaeology webinar series, 11 - 19 September - sign-up nowThe BBC series is complemented throughout September with a number of online archaeology webinars to support Heritage Open Days 2020, highlighting some of the exciting finds uncovered along the route of the new railway.
We're holding the following online events (click on the events below to register):
You can find the full list of our online events at www.hs2.org.uk/events .
We will be publishing video recordings of the session online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about each topic through a dedicated playlist on the HS2 YouTube channel .
HS2 - The Biggest Dig will be also be available on BBC iPlayer .
For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Before we build bridges, tunnels, tracks and stations, the largest archaeology programme ever undertaken in the UK is taking place along the line of route. Our archaeology programme is continuing to unearth discoveries across our sites.
To share information about these works and some of the exciting finds uncovered we are running a series of online archaeology events to support Heritage Open Days 2020.
We're holding the following online events for Heritage Open Days 2020 (click on the events below to register):
You can find the full list of our online events here .
We will be publishing video recordings of the session online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about each topic through a dedicated playlist on the HS2 YouTube channel .
For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
We are working closely with our construction partners to review the works on all our construction sites in line with Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice on dealing with Covid-19. The Government's current Covid-19 strategy makes clear that construction activity can continue as long as it complies with this guidance.
The below works are going ahead as our contractors are confident that they can operate in line with PHE and industry guidance, protecting our staff and the communities in which they are working.
We previously let you know about our works around the Colne Valley and we have an update on these works with more detail including lane and road closures. For more information on the below works, including maps see the works notification here.
Colne ValleyAs we prepare for the main construction works to start, we will be undertaking a range of work at our sites across the Colne Valley. These include:
A lane closure on the A412, near the Denham Water ski club entrance, will be in place to allow us to work on both sides of the highway, initially to undertake vegetation works alongside the A412 North Orbital followed by the construction of a new construction access road crossing of the A412. The lane closure will be managed by two way traffic lights. This will be required for up to four months and will operate 24 hours per day and seven days a week.
We will also be putting in place full A412 road closures at night during some weekends. This work is being undertaken at night and weekends to reduce disruption and for the safety of the public. The weekend closures on the A412 are anticipated to be needed during the period 29 August to 6 September and will be in place from 9pm to 5am. For more information, including maps, please see the works update here.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
HS2 will provide opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes. As part of being a good neighbour, we are keen that local companies along the line of the new high speed railway are able to make the most of the benefits the Project will bring, and get involved in the supply chain wherever they can.
HS2 Ltd are running a series of webinars that aim to help local businesses navigate the HS2 supply chain and better understand some of the things that we are looking for from suppliers. At each event, you will hear from a different expert speaker, and also be able to take part in a Q&A session.
Find out more and sign up here to attendWe will be publishing video recordings of each webinar online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn how to get your business 'HS2 ready' through on our HS2 YouTube channel. You can find out more information about HS2's local business opportunities here . For more information about this event or any of our forthcoming events please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Communities and businesses located near to Britain’s new railway are invited to a webinar on Thursday 25 June at 13:00 to find out more about the funding schemes and local business opportunities available.
Up and down the line of route, over 100 projects have already received funding through the HS2 community and business funds, while over 1,000 local businesses are already working on the project, providing goods and services to help build Britain’s new railway.
If your business or community is near to the line of route between the West Midland and London and you want to find out more about the funding programme and local business opportunities available through HS2, please sign up to our event below.
Find out more and sign up here to attendWe will be publishing video recordings of each webinar online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about the funding and business opportunities available through on our HS2 YouTube channel.
You can find out more information about the HS2 Community Funds here and local business opportunities here .For more information about this event or any of our forthcoming events please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Pupils at Meadow High School in Hillingdon have suggested a name for one of the first of 10 giant tunnel boring machines (TBMs) which has been shortlisted for a national vote launched by HS2 Ltd. The TBMs will excavate more than 35 miles of tunnel on the first phase the UK’s new high speed railway between London and the West Midlands.
The public is being invited to go to https://www.hs2.org.uk/tbmvoting/ and vote for their favourite name, from a shortlist of three chosen by local school children and inspired by female scientific and medical pioneers.
The names are:
The name with the most votes will be given to the first TBM, due to be launched from a site close to the M25 early next year. The enormous, 2,000 tonne, 170m long machine will be one of two that will dig the 10 mile long Chiltern tunnels.
The second machine, due to be launched a month later, will be given the second most popular name in the public vote.
The TBMs will be operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align JV – a joint venture formed of three companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick.
The machines are being built by Herrenknecht in Germany. Their names are being chosen now so they can be fixed to machines during their manufacture, ready for when they emerge out of the factory.
After completion the first two machines will be disassembled before beginning their long journey to England. Once they have arrived on site, each TBM will be reassembled, ready to begin their life underground.
Together the TBMs will spend around three years digging what will be the longest and deepest tunnels on the project, stretching from just inside the M25, to South Heath in Buckinghamshire.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have published the fourth public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.
This report covers the six-month period from July to December 2019, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the second half of the year, along with currently available data such as from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events we have held.
We will continue to publish these reports on a regular basis.
The report is available to view and download here .
A collection of all our reports to date can be found here .
If you have any questions about the report, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have recently made some changes to the HS2 in Hertfordshire website, to help improve the user experience and navigation of the site.
New 'works in your area' page for information about all current or planned HS2 works in your areaWe have created a new, dedicated works in your area page , where all the notices for any current or ongoing works are shown, broken down by geographic areas within Hertfordshire. This brings all our work notifications in the Hertfordshire area together on one page, which makes it easier for you to navigate and easier for us to ensure all the notices are kept up-to-date.
New landing page and other pages added for popular topicsThe website landing page has changed so that our menu of pages are now shown, making it easier and quicker to find what you need. We've also added new pages and information on the following popular topics:
We will be continuing to update these pages as our construction activity in Hertfordshire progresses.
Have your say on the websiteOur community websites are intended to provide you with relevant, local information about HS2 works and developments in your area. We would like to hear your views about our community websites and ideas you may have for improving them. To let us know your views, please complete our short online survey before 11:59 on Friday 29 May. The survey contains 7 questions and should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.
Contact us if you have any questionsIf you have any questions about the recent changes or would like some help using this website, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
The number of community and business groups to receive awards from the HS2 community and business funds has topped over 100. The Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) for Phase One, between London and the West Midlands, make a combined total of £40 million available to local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of HS2.
As we work through the COVID-19 pandemic, the approval for the next stage of the project has meant that our contractors now have the go ahead to start building the new railway whilst remaining within the Public Health England (PHE) and industry guidelines. As part of our commitment to being a good neighbour, we realise that communities are affected by the construction of HS2, and the community and business funds are key to help offset the disruption caused.
As construction of HS2 gets underway, applications for the funds are still being welcomed. The Funds for Phase One, administered by community charity Groundwork UK, support urban and rural, community, environmental and business projects. Community and Business groups along the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands have been able to apply for funds since March 2017.
A series of videos and case studies about projects that have received HS2 funds can be found here.
The independent administration of these funds is managed on behalf of HS2 Ltd by the charity Groundwork who will ensure both funds remain available for applications throughout the construction of Phase One. Read the Groundwork annual review.
Community and business groups interested in applying for the fund can find out more at www.hs2funds.org.uk
On 15 April 2020, the Department for Transport gave approval for HS2 Ltd to issue Notice to Proceed to our four Main Works Civils Contractors (MWCC) working on Phase One of the project.
The issuing of Notice to Proceed marks the point in the MWCC contracts where work transitions from scheme design and preparatory work, to full detailed design and construction of the railway between London and the West Midlands.
You can find further information on both gov.uk and the HS2 website .
The four contractors along the phase one route – SCS Railways, Align JV, EKFB JV and BBV JV – will start the second stage of their contracts immediately, progressing detailed design, site preparation works and placing important sub-contracts. During this period, our contractors are continuously reviewing their ability to work within Public Health England guidelines to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce and the communities in which we are working.
We understand that some local communities are concerned about the impact of construction and we remain committed to being a good neighbour to anyone affected by our work.
You can find out Information about HS2 construction works during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic here.
If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
The health, safety and wellbeing of the communities along the route of the new railway, and our staff, remains our absolute priority.
Construction sitesWe are working closely with our construction partners to review the works on our construction sites in line with Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice on dealing with COVID-19. The Government’s current COVID-19 strategy makes clear that construction activity can continue as long as it complies with this guidance.
Work at the majority of our sites has been paused as we complete this review, noting that some staff may be present to make the safety assessments and to ensure the sites remain safe and secure.
We do expect that work will restart at some of these sites where our contractors are confident that they can operate in line with PHE and industry guidance, protecting our staff and the communities in which they are working.
Community engagementWe have taken the decision to postpone all face-to-face engagement events and meetings during this period. We have been notifying local residents and putting in place alternative ways of communicating and engaging with communities over the coming weeks and months.
HS2 HelpdeskThe HS2 Helpdesk remains operational all day, every day, and will be the public’s first point of contact should they need advice or information from HS2. You can contact the Helpdesk:
If you contact us by post there will be an extended delay in us receiving and responding due to the current circumstances.
Following UK Government advice to stop non-essential contact with other people, and avoid all unnecessary travel, we have taken the decision to postpone a number of face to face engagement events and meetings. You may already have received notifications about some of these. We have made this decision to support the government aim to reduce the time spent in public places and the amount of contact between people due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
We are looking at alternative ways of engaging and communicating with you over the coming weeks and months.
The HS2 Helpdesk remains operational all day, every day, and will be your first point of contact should you need advice or information from HS2. You can contact the Helpdesk on:
Our Helpdesk Team will be in regular contact with community engagement managers, and will be able to put you in touch should you need to speak to your local team.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
We’re inviting primary schools close to the HS2 line of route to sign up for a free safety workshop that teaches children about the importance of staying safe around construction sites. Safety is one of our core values and we’re working with Arc Theatre to deliver Playing it Safe , an interactive workshop.
Playing it Safe has visited over 5,000 pupils so far since its launch in 2018 to teach them about the dangers present on construction sites and the surrounding areas, as well as the consequences of trespassing on those sites.The workshop is available to Years 5 and 6 with audiences of between 30 and 90 pupils, with each session lasting between 60-75 minutes. Arc Theatre can deliver up to two sessions in one school per day. The workshop is completely free of charge, but limited and offered to schools closest to the route. If you would like your local school to take part in this workshop please ask them to contact Nita@arctheatre.com or call 020 8595 8509.
For more information about our safety programme or the wider HS2 project you can contact our HS2 Helpdesk team team all day, every day on:
A new project has been awarded funding in Hertfordshire as part of the HS2 Community and Business Funds.
Hornhill Multi-Use Games Area and Outdoor Gym receives £39,000This project will provide a new sports facility in Maple Cross to complement a recently refurbished children’s play area, creating a hub for all the family.
A new self-contained and fenced Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) will include goals and basketball hoops, with an anti-slip and shock-absorbing surface, providing young people with the opportunity of playing sports such as netball, football, basketball and tennis. A practice hoop will also be located on the outside of the MUGA, allowing young people to play basketball when the main court is being used for football. In addition, an outdoor gym will be installed to provide adults with a mix of cardiovascular, strength and toning equipment suitable for all abilities and fitness levels, reducing the need to travel to find these facilities.
HS2 Community and Business FundsOur Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) for Phase One are worth £40 million. They give local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of HS2 the opportunity to receive funding of up to £1 million for projects to improve their local area or support their local economy.
The community and business funds are administered and managed by independent community charity, Groundwork UK. For more information on Groundwork and the funds, including how to apply, visit https://hs2funds.org.uk/ .You can also watch our short videos which explain how to best demonstrate that your project meets the criteria for the Community, Environment or Business Funds.
If you have any questions about the Community and Business Funds, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We would like to invite your feedback on the design of HS2’s Common Design Elements planned for the Phase One route between the West Midlands and London.
Further to our post on the 2nd January, there's now just four days left to have your say. You can view the plans on the HS2 website and download an information booklet , before completing our quick online survey . The survey closes at 11pm on Thursday 30 January.
Common Design Elements are parts of the railway with a standardised appearance which will give it a recognisable look and make it more efficient to build. They include frequently used structures, such as bridge piers and parapets, as well as lineside noise barriers.
Since Parliament approved plans for the Phase One route in 2017, we've been developing the design of the new railway and now we need your views to help inform how we progress with the Common Design Elements.
If you have any questions about our Common Design Elements or HS2, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We would like to invite your feedback on the design of HS2’s Common Design Elements planned for the Phase One route between the West Midlands and London.
Common Design Elements are parts of the railway with a standardised appearance which will give it a recognisable look and make it more efficient to build. They include frequently used structures, such as bridge piers and parapets, as well as lineside noise barriers.
Since Parliament approved plans for the Phase One route in 2017, we've been developing the design of the new railway and now we need your views to help inform how we progress with the Common Design Elements.
You can view the plans on the HS2 website and download an information booklet , before completing our quick online survey . The survey closes at 11pm on Thursday 30 January.
Find out more and have your sayTo find out more and let us know your views by completing the survey, please go to www.hs2.org.uk/common-design .
If you have any questions about our Common Design Elements or HS2, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
We have published the third public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.
This report covers the six-month period from January to July 2019, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the first half of the year, along with currently available data such as from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events we have held.
We will continue to publish these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover July to December 2019, and will be published in spring 2020.
The report is available to view and download here: https://www.hs2.org.uk/documents/community-engagement-progress-report-january-to-june-2019/
If you have any questions about the report, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
HS2’s brand new track and fast intercity services will carry more than 2 million people a week.
By freeing up space on existing lines, for new local train services, passengers and freight, HS2 helps ease congestion and over-crowding. Travelling by train becomes a more convenient and enjoyable option for everybody, regardless of how far they’re going.
Our latest video explains how the delivery of Britain's new high speed railway will be a game changer for the UK rail network and will help to improve your journey, even if you don't use our trains.
Once the full network is complete we expect HS2 trains to carry over 300,000 passengers a day. We have planned for the future by making sure that the HS2 network can grow with increased demand.
Up to 48 HS2 trains will be running on the rail network every hour, each carrying up to 1,100 passengers.
Visit the HS2 website to find out about the stations we will serve.
If you have any questions about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
Over the last 18 months works have been progressing at the South Portal site off Chalfont Lane & Tilehouse Lane. This is where the Colne Valley Viaduct and the Chiltern Tunnel will be built from. In October we will start early works, including earthworks for the tunnel portal and the creation of compound facilities.
What is happening?
The site is being prepared for our future engineering works. Between September 2019 and January 2020 we will be excavating the cutting for the tunnel portal, creating an embankment (bund) to the north of Chalfont Lane to screen the works for residents and building platforms for temporary, two storey, site facilities. This will include offices and welfare facilitates for our staff on site. Other works will include creating drainage ponds and ditches, and installing utilities and services for the buildings. We are also installing vehicle wheel washing facilities to prevent mud and dirt being taken onto local roads. Additional hoardings and fences will be installed.
How will this affect me?
Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will in the main use the dedicated M25 slip roads that we have built. Other traffic accessing the site will use the A412. We will do all we can to keep this traffic to a minimum. You may notice the movement of large earth-moving equipment within the site as our works progress.
You can find more information on these works in our notification .
The Government has announced the HS2 Prolonged Disruption Compensation Scheme.
This policy complements a wider package of environmental controls set out in the HS2 Phase One environmental minimum requirements and adds to the noise insulation and temporary re-housing measures set out in information paper E23.
We are aware of the issues that building a new railway can cause to people who live nearby. We will design and build the railway in ways that reduce noise as much as we reasonably can.
An introduction to the scheme for residents has been published on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-prolonged-disruption-compensation-scheme/prolonged-disruption-compensation-scheme
Full guidance will be published in late autumn 2019 in advance of the start of the Phase One main construction works.
If you are eligible under this scheme we will contact you in advance of the construction works to discuss your options and provide more information about the application process.
In the meantime if you have any questions, please contact the HS2 Helpdesk on 08081 434 434 or hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .
You can contact our HS2 Helpdesk team all day, every day of the year on:
Freephone: 08081 434 434Minicom: 08081 456 472Email: hs2enquiries@hs2.org.ukHow we can help
Our team is here to listen and help with any enquiry, complaint or feedback you may have. Our Helpdesk team will try to answer your questions in the first instance. If we need to talk to other people in the company to provide a full response, we’ll make sure we investigate your query with the relevant people at HS2 Ltd and respond at a later time.
If you would like to see our complaints procedure or you’re not satisfied with how your case is being dealt with, further information can be found here .
You can also contact our Helpdesk if you think you have a damage claim related to HS2.
The latest cohort of projects to receive funding from the HS2 Community and Business Funds have been announced today, taking the total award value from the Funds to £3.5m to organisations along Phase One of the HS2 route.
HS2’s Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) has so far seen 62 projects from across the country receive funding awards. This government-backed funding programme was created to add benefit to communities and support local businesses affected by Phase One of HS2 above compensation and mitigation.
The Funds are being managed independently by Groundwork UK, a community charity that works to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities.
The latest cohort of funded CEF and BLEF projects includes:
Community groups and business support organisations are being encouraged to apply to the Funds for projects that have a demonstrable positive impact on their local community.
A combined total of £40 million has been made available for both the CEF and BLEF projects for Phase One of the construction of HS2. The Funds will provide support for good quality bids and funding will be available throughout this time period. CEF and BLEF have supported 62 projects since March 2017 from small scale grassroots projects to large scale capital projects which benefit a wide range of communities.
For more information on Groundwork and the funds themselves click here .
You can also see an interactive map showing all of the projects awarded funding so far by clicking here .
HS2 are holding five events for the community to find out more about the updated design and construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct .
At the events you will be able to:
The events, timings and locations can be found in the Upcoming Events section
Groundwork, the independent administrators of Phase One of HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), have released the HS2 Fund Annual Review for 2018/2019.
In this last year, 49 CEF & BLEF projects have received funding with communities and businesses along Phase 1 benefitting to the tune of close to £3m.
Read the report here , including case studies of how funding is supporting towns and cities along the Phase One line of route.
For more information on Groundwork and the funds themselves click here.
We have published the second public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.
This report covers the six-month period from July to December 2018, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the second half of the year, along with year-end data from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events held.
We will continue to publish these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover January to June 2019, and will be published in autumn 2019.
You can download the report here .
In March a further £4 million was released to fund the creation and restoration of woodlands in areas ranging from London to the West Midlands, as part of HS2’s ongoing ecology programme.
The HS2 Woodland Fund is now a total grant scheme of £5 million and is aimed at helping landowners to create new native woodland and restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites. This follows the success of the first £1 million of the Fund that was committed to projects throughout 2018.
The Woodland Fund is open to applications from landowners located within 25 miles of the Phase One route of the high speed railway, which passes through parts of Greater London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, as well as the wider West Midlands. The fund aims to help local landowners create new native, broad leaf woodlands, especially where they connect or expand existing ancient woodland or connect semi-natural open habitats. It also provides financial support for the tree planting and associated items needed to protect them – this includes fencing and gates, as well natural flood management items.
To find out more about the Woodland Fund and how to apply you can visit the Forestry Commission website by clicking here
We recognise that there are many schools in close proximity to our planned works and it is important for us to ensure that children understand the dangers that construction sites can pose. We have a duty to engage directly with local schools to communicate and reinforce the importance of staying safe when living and playing near construction sites.
We appointed Arc Theatre to deliver Playing it Safe , an interactive health and safety workshop designed for primary schools along the Phase One route of HS2. The workshop uses drama to communicate the dangers present on construction sites and the surrounding areas, as well as the consequences of trespassing on those sites.
Playing it Safe has now taken place at more than 50 schools, teaching over 4000 pupils how to stay safe when living near construction sites.
The workshop is available to Years 5 and 6 with audiences of between 30 and 90 pupils, with each session lasting between 60-75 minutes. Arc can deliver up to two sessions in one school per day.
The workshop is completely free of charge, but limited and offered to schools closest to the route. If you would like your local primary school to take part in this workshop please ask them to contact Nita@arctheatre.com or call 020 8595 8509 .
You can find out more about our plans in West Hyde and Maple Cross areas here .
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Today saw more projects awarded funding as part of the HS2 Community and Business Funds.
The Colne Valley Park CIC have been awarded £72,200 to deliver a promotional campaign to reinforce the message that the Colne Valley is open for business during HS2 construction. Aimed at retaining an estimated 2 million annual visitors and supporting rural businesses, the campaign will focus on:
Informative promotion
The creation of a new Colne Valley Regional Park (CVRP) website will enable information to be easily accessed and updated. Printed promotional materials providing park use information (e.g. circular walks leaflets) will be updated to reflect the disruption to routes from the HS2.
Persuasive promotion
Six editions of a 4-page printed broadsheet will be distributed to key visitor and tourist attractions and businesses. The broadsheet will use clear, contemporary design to promote the areas, attractions and views which are best to visit in each season, taking in to consideration the disruption from HS2.
You can find out more about the ‘Open for Business’ campaign by visiting the Colne Valley Park website here .
The community and business funds are administered and managed by independent community charity, Groundwork UK. For more information on Groundwork and the funds themselves click here .
You can also see an interactive map showing all of the projects awarded funding so far by clicking here .
Introduction to HS2 Community Funds :
As part of road improvements to Hornhill Road in Maple Cross. A section of Hornhill Road will be closed from 7am to 6pm from 7 until 18 January 2019. There will be:
You can find out more about our plans in this area or come along to future drop-in events here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
You can find out more about our plans in West Hyde and Maple Cross areas here .
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
We have published the first public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.
This report covers the six-month period January to June 2018, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the first half of this year, along with currently available data such as from our helpdesk, funding awarded and the events held.
We will be publishing these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover July to December 2018, and will be published in spring 2019. In the next report we will include feedback from communities on how well they think we are doing at being a good neighbour, building on the content of the first report.
You can download the report at the link below.
https://www.hs2.org.uk/documents/community-engagement-progress-report-january-to-june-2018/
Proposed works are now complete.
You can find out more about our plans in this area or come along to future drop-in events here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Starting from Monday 15 October we are conducting some research focused on asking the views of communities along the route of the new railway. This is a telephone survey lasting about ten minutes that will be carried out by Ipsos MORI on our behalf.
If you are phoned by an interviewer from Ipsos MORI asking for your views on whether HS2 is being a good neighbour, please consider taking part. The survey will help us to measure how well we are doing against the commitments in our Community Engagement Strategy and your feedback will also help us understand where we need improve.
If you have any queries regarding the survey please visit the contact us page by clicking here.
As part of HS2’s preparation works, Chalfont Lane (A412 to Shire Lane) was closed on 27 November 2017 and will remain closed for the duration of our construction.
You can find out more about our plans in this area or come along to future drop-in events here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
As part of HS2’s preparation works, our main works contractor Align, will be carrying out surveys of utilities near to Denham Ski Water Club on the A412.
You can find out more about our plans in this area or come along to future drop-in events here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HS2 enquiries team on 08081 434 434 or via HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Come along and find out more about HS2 works at our drop-in events for local communities in Maple Cross and West Hyde areas.
In your area we are preparing to build the railway’s viaduct in the Colne Valley and its tunnel beneath the Chilterns.
Find out about our progress at a public presentation with question and answer session.
Come and meet Emma Gaydon , your Engagement Manager - full details can be found on our invite here.
The Department of Transport has appointed a new independent Construction Commissioner. The Construction Commissioner undertakes independent reviews of complaints related to construction received by HS2 Ltd.
Their role will be to provide independent, impartial decisions as well as advice on how to make a complaint and will build relationships across industry and community groups, local authorities, HS2 Ltd and contractors.
Sir Mark Worthington, the new Construction Commissioner, has more than 20 years of experience working with government.
We recently updated our guidance on how to make a complaint to HS2 Ltd. This can be found at this https://www.hs2.org.uk/how-to-complain .
For any urgent issues that may need to be quickly resolved, you can call our 24/7 Freephone Community Helpline on 08081 434 434 .
More information about the appointment can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-mark-worthington-appointed-as-independent-hs2-construction-commissioner
As we move into the next stage of building the new railway, we are introducing security and safety support vehicles as part of our plan to ensure that the public and those working on the project, as well as property and sites along the route, remain safe and secure.
These units will be working along the Phase One route to respond to incidents and will be working 24 hours a day.
Their tasks might include responding to a security incident or checking to see if property or a piece of land is secure. The units will be working in Hertfordshire and the surrounding HS2 project area.
If you have any questions please call our Freephone Community Helpline on 08081 434 434 or speak to your local engagement manager.
If you suspect a crime, you should always call 999 or 101.
They will begin in August 2018 and be available for the duration of the project.
Please note this meeting is at Maple Cross Club, Longcroft Road, Rickmansworth WD3 9TJ.
Specifically for residents from West Hyde.
Come and meet Emma Gaydon, your Engagement Manager - full details can be found on our poster here.
Health and safety is a top priority for the successful delivery of HS2 Ltd.
We recognise that there are many schools in close proximity to our planned works and it is important for us to ensure that children understand the dangers that construction sites can pose. We have a duty to engage directly with local schools to communicate and reinforce the importance of staying safe when living and playing near construction sites.
We have appointed Arc Theatre to deliver Playing it Safe , an interactive health and safety workshop designed for primary schools along the Phase One route of HS2. The workshop uses drama to communicate the dangers present on construction sites and the surrounding areas, as well as the consequences of trespassing on those sites.
The workshop is available to Years 5 and 6 with audiences of between 30 and 90 pupils, with each session lasting between 60-75 minutes. Arc can deliver up to two sessions in one school per day.
The workshop is completely free of charge, but limited and offered to schools closest to the route. If you would like your local school to take part in this workshop please ask them to contact Nita@arctheatre.com or call 020 8595 8509 .