HS2 has provided details of the impact of gas diversions: HS2 Briefing Note – Gas diversions in the Harefield and Ickenham area (It’s a pdf containing tables.)
Category Archives: HS2
Air Quality and HS2
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
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
HS2 local updates
A link from our friends at Hillingdon is Here about Harvil Road traffic
And here’s the Council’s take on HS2 activity
This HS2 statement will go to every MP and Peer
The House magazine is part of the fabric of Westminster is delivered directly into the pigeon-holes of both Westminster Houses. It is a must-read in both Houses. The House is closer than any other political magazine to the most powerful people in UK politics.
Today, the HS2 Action Alliance has submitted this advertisement:
HS2 imminent activities
At the latest meeting with HS2, we raised with them the recent confusions over the use of the fields by the cricket club and asked that they significantly improve their communications with the community.
HS2 has now advised us of some forthcoming work. Two sites off Harvil Road will be required for gas pipeline diversions. One site is before the railway bridge and the other after the bridge, close to the Dogs Trust. Initially the work will involve clearing the sites and then the contractors will move in and perform the work lasting to December 2018. Harvil Road has accident black spots and it may be necessary to have traffic signals at the access points to both sites.
HS2 and the rumour mill
On the day following the election, some HS2 notices appeared around some of Ickenham’s open spaces. They comprised several pages and it’s easy to see why some residents drew the wrong conclusions. Unfortunately, these wrong conclusions found their way onto Facebook and created a lot of heat and steam.
We thought it best to present some of the salient facts presented in the documents. If we learn more about HS2’s intentions we will let you know.
First of all, here’s the map of the (red-outlined) area debated on Facebook:
This area lies between Hoylake Cresent and the Chiltern Railway line.
Here is a snap of what HS2 intends to do here:
Since the Facebook alarm was about HS2 using the area “for storage of construction equipment for the building of HS2”, we think this paragraph (and the fact it’s a short-term survey) led to the misunderstanding.:
Apologies for the rubbish photographs. We thought it best to present the original documents rather than a transcript.
Residents’ Association AGM
We were delighted to see so many members packed into the Village Hall for our AGM last Friday.
We were also pleased to welcome so many of our local councillors: Ray Puddifoot; David Simmonds; and John Hensley from Ickenham Ward, as well as Philip Corthorne and Brian Crowe from West Ruislip ward. We also welcomed our MP Nick Hurd and Squadron Leader James Tenniswood from RAF Northolt.
The formal business proceeded smoothly and the Committee members were duly re-elected for another year’s term of office plus the two co-opted members, Beryl Upton (HS2) and Simon Taylor (Traffic).
Ray Puddifoot spoke about the Council’s opposition to the third runway and its work to get agreement on traffic etc. from HS2.
Sqdr Ldr Tenniswood updated us on the planned improvements to the runway and arrester beds. He stressed the strategic importance of RAF Northolt. He also explained NORFEST and invited local organisations to take stands on the day.
Questions from the floor were mainly about HS2 and pollution. R Puddifoot stated that LBH would install monitors and keep a close eye on the results
The meeting closed with the traditional light refreshments. Our thanks to the ‘kitchen team’ led by Barbara Buckle and to Vic Silk and David John for keeping the drinks flowing.
Colne Valley Park today
Brunel University students, working with West London Film & Media CIC and Groundwork South, have put together a seven-minute video about the Colne Valley Park as it stands today, before it is cut through by the twin threats of HS2 and Heathrow’s third runway.
It’s a charming film of the pleasures on the doorstep of 10 million people. Perhaps it will inspire you to visit the attractions, support the cafés and other local businesses and perhaps get involved in some way with its associated charities.
More information here.
Our thanks to Twitter’s Mrs_AngryJones for the tip-off.
House of Lords HS2 report today
The House of Lords HS2 Select Committee is reporting in public today at 10am. (Committee Room 4 if you want to rush up there.)
Or you can watch it on parliament tv
The Chairman will announce the publication of the report and make a few, brief concluding remarks. The Committee will adjourn very shortly thereafter and the report will be made available on the Committee’s website.
This link takes you straight to the Ickenham bit.
Ickenham Residents' Association 