Category Archives: Advice

Breakspear Road South works 27-29 Oct

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A note from HS2:

Please note that the scope of works for the utility surveys has changed. The works were originally intended to be utility trial trenches. However we have been able to change these works to Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys and pavement cores, which will be less disruptive as they can be completed in a shorter time span and are less intrusive. The works will still take place within the half term window but from Friday 27 October to Sunday 29 October.

GPR uses radar pulses to create a profile of what the ground looks like beneath the surface, including the presence of voids which indicate the presence of utilities. Pavement core involves coring a small piece of the road and sending it for examination and laboratory testing to determine its make-up.

 

We apologise for the change to what we previously notified you about and any inconvenience this may cause.

Response to “Cancel HS2” petition

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The Government has responded to the ‘Cancel HS2 immediately and repeal the 2013 and 2017 High Speed Rail Acts’ petition, which runs until March 21 2018. It promises that, “At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.” (My italics.) Right now, 16,958 people have signed the petition.

Here’s the official response:

HS2 will provide new rail network capacity, drive economic growth, create jobs and investment, train the next generation of engineers and better connect our major cities. It is on time and on budget.

New Railway

HS2 will form the new backbone of our national rail network, providing new capacity and better connecting our major cities, while creating more space for commuter and freight trains on our busiest lines. This will create better connections and more seats for passengers and allow more goods to be moved by rail, which will also help to improve air quality.

Opening in 2026, the HS2 network will serve towns and cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Crewe, Nottingham, Derby, York and Newcastle, with trains running on to Scotland. By 2033 up to 18 trains an hour will run in both directions, carrying up to 1,100 passengers each.

HS2 is a major investment but an essential one. HS2’s total budget is £55.7bn. Over the current Spending Review period spending on HS2 will equate to 0.14% of GDP. We are keeping a tough grip on costs and are determined to deliver HS2 on time and on budget.

Benefits to the North

We are delivering unprecedented investment in infrastructure in the North, to redress the historic imbalance in infrastructure investment between north and south. The Northern Powerhouse is a key priority, and our substantial investment will boost the northern economy and reduce the prosperity gap with the South that has existed for far too long.

We are also working to future-proof HS2 by including provisions for new junctions in the North and Midlands, which will help ensure that the infrastructure can accommodate the Northern powerhouse. HS2 will transform capacity and connectivity for millions of people across the north. With HS2 stations in Manchester, Leeds, Crewe and Sheffield, the north will be the principal beneficiary of HS2.

HS2 will underpin the plans of local areas to grow their economies, in places like Leeds where the South Bank regeneration project around Leeds station is expected to support 35,000 jobs across key sectors and 4,000 new homes. HS2 will generate around £25 billion of contracts and represents a major opportunity for businesses across the whole of the UK including small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Government has committed £60m to take HS3, or Northern Powerhouse Rail, forward and we are working closely with Transport for the North to develop a business case for the project by the end of 2018. The Government is investing over £13bn in the north of England’s transport infrastructure, including on roads and railways, to deliver faster journeys and increased capacity. That work will continue apace and is a key priority for the Department.

This includes dramatically improving journeys for passengers across the north with the Great North Rail Project. By 2020, as a result of this ambitious and comprehensive upgrade, passengers will benefit from faster and more comfortable journeys, as well as new direct services across the north and beyond. We are also developing options for the Transpennine Route Upgrade, to increase the number of seats, and reduce journey times, allowing journeys such as from Leeds to Manchester in 40 minutes.

HS2 is key to the future of our transport system and the relationship it has with our existing network is a vital part of our planning. It is not a case of “either/or” but rather one of joined up and complementary delivery. Over £38 billion is being spent on improving the existing rail network for the five years between 2014 and 2019. This investment is funding projects to increase capacity on the existing rail network and improve journeys for all passengers. There is also potential for HS2 to increase the amount of freight transported by rail – meaning fewer cars and lorries on our roads, cutting congestion and carbon.

Creating Jobs and skills

HS2 will support growth in the wider economy, worth an additional 100,000 jobs. 70% of all jobs created by HS2 will be outside of London. But this isn’t just about when the new railway opens – jobs and skills are being created now.

Several contracts have already been let and major contracts for up to £11.8 billion worth for the civil engineering work will be let this year. HS2 is working with businesses across the UK – including many small and medium-sized firms – to ensure they are well prepared to bid for work on HS2. HS2 will generate around 25,000 jobs during construction as well as 2,000 apprenticeships.

And HS2 is about upskilling: a more skilled workforce is vital for the country as we forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world. The National College for High Speed Rail, based in Doncaster and Birmingham, will open its doors later this month. The College will train young people to build HS2 and other world-leading rail projects.

Department for Transport

Click this link to view the response online:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/200793?reveal_response=yes

The Petitions Committee will take a look at this petition and its response. They can press the government for action and gather evidence. If this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Committee will consider it for a debate.

The Committee is made up of 11 MPs, from political parties in government and in opposition. It is entirely independent of the Government. Find out more about the Committee: https://petition.parliament.uk/help#petitions-committee

Thanks,
The Petitions team
UK Government and Parliament

 

 

 

Boring locations (HS2 holes, that is)

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Apologies for lack of detail but this is the area to the north of The Greenway and Hoylake Crescent. Each blob appears to be a bore hole as described in the previous news update. If I get more information, I’ll add it to this post.

[ 22 Sep ]

Here are the symbols and legends (you can now click on the map above to see a larger version):

Hillingdon and HS2: Updates

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If you ever need the Council’s public low-down on HS2 please go to:

http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/23081/High-speed-rail-updates

 

PS (next day) If you f0llowed the above link, you’d know that the HS2/LBH Agreement was signed off on 17th August and has now been published on line.

If you didn’t follow the link, it is 79 pages in length and to summarise:

  • It is now a legal agreement that both parties are obliged to implement to the best of their abilities.
  • Everything we expected is included and in the circumstances, it is as good as we could have expected.
  • There is a lot that is caveated by being subject to “reasonable endeavours” and that the real impacts will depend on HS2’s commitment (and the Contractors) to doing things properly rather than just cheaply or through expedience.
  • There will be a lot of onus on the residents and the Council to hold HS2 to account and push them for the best implementations in the interest of the community.
  • There are risks associated with the agreement on HOAC, but the Council appears to have that under control.

We have approached Nick Hurd and he has given us his whole hearted support in our need to improve the unsatisfactory situation with the HS2 Community Engagement Team (CET). He has obtained a commitment from HS2 to improve many aspects of the CET’s performance and we await the outcome of those actions.

We will keep you up to date with developments via the Ickenham Residents’ Association web site, but there is no scope for change to the Agreement now it has been signed off.

Air Quality and HS2

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A note from HS2:

Please see Information Paper E31, which outlines the commitments HS2 has given to manage the potential impacts of the scheme on air quality. Air quality is being monitored along the line of route.  This will include monitoring nitrogen dioxide around highways used by construction traffic and construction dust around areas of construction works.   Both of these types of monitoring will be undertaken in the LB Hillingdon. We are currently in discussion with Hillingdon Council to agree locations.

Further details on HS2’s commitments to data sharing are given in section 4.3 of the Code of Construction Practice

Gas main diversions in the Harefield and Ickenham area

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We have been informed of proposed works in the Harvil Road area. Below is the letter received by residents close to the works. As it involves temporary traffic lights in Harvil Road, we thought you should be made aware of this.

Dear Resident,

I would like to let you know about some work that will be carried out over the coming months in your area ahead of construction of the new railway, High Speed 2 (HS2). To allow construction of the new railway, we need to move an underground gas pipeline.
To do this, we will be installing a new pipeline from south of the existing Chiltern Mainline (‘southern shaft’) to join the existing pipeline to the south-east of the Dogs Trust on Harvil Road (‘northern shaft’). The pipeline is an important supply for London and we need to carry out this diversion to continue to ensure a safe and reliable gas supply to the area. While we do not anticipate these works to cause any major disruption or for there to be any effect on local gas supply, we recognise the disturbance this work can create and apologise in advance.

The work will be carried out as follows:

1.In mid-August 2017 HS2’s Contractors, will be undertaking works to prepare for installing thepipeline. This will include vegetation clearance and archaeological works.

2.Murphy, a contractor working on behalf of Cadent Gas who owns the pipeline, will start work on installing the pipeline in late August 2017. The work is expected to be completed by autumn 2018.

Most of the work involves boring underground although some equipment will be visible from Harvil Road. While the tunnel boring machine is operating, we may need to work 24-hours a day. However, as this work is underground we do not anticipate any noise or disruption for local people, although you may notice people on-site during the night or in the early hours of the morning.

Any works that do not involve tunnelling will be carried out in our core working hours; between 8am and 6pm on weekdays with a period of up to one hour before for start-up activities and one hour after for close-down activities such as deliveries, unloading and maintenance. The start-up and close-down periods will not include the operation of any plant or machinery likely to cause disturbance to local residents or businesses.

We’ll be setting up a construction site off Harvil Road, across from Harefield Oil Terminal. All of our site, equipment and work will be taking place within HS2 land. To ensure the safety of road users and our engineers, we will be installing temporary traffic lights near to the site office on Harvil Road. We’ll only need to use these during our working hours and when our contractors need to access the site. We apologise for any disruption this causes.

If you have any queries, please contact HS2 on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Patricia Thompson
Senior Engagement Manager
High Speed Two (HS2) Limited