please note the responses from LBH at the foot of this notice

from HS2

We’re writing to let you know about some planned works that we will be carrying out in your area.

HS2 Works Notification: Tunnel segment deliveries by road.

We are writing to update you on how tunnel segments are delivered to our West Ruislip site. We normally use the rail siding for segment deliveries, but are currently unable to do so until a

safety audit has been completed.

To maintain supply of segments to build the new high-speed rail the tunnels, we will need them to be delivered to West Ruislip by road from Thursday 2 May 2024, using our approved lorry routes.

We are not sure how long we will need to make deliveries by road but we will keep you informed.

Lorry movements for segment deliveries will be included in the existing limit of 550 lorry movements a day.

Most tunnel segment deliveries will be during core working hours (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to1pm). However, there may be some HGV movements outside core hours.

The association checked with LBH and got this:

HS2/SCS approached LBH yesterday 30th  April as the Rail Siding at West Ruislip Portal is temporarily out of use which means that the overnight Trains carrying TBM Segments cannot deliver to West Ruislip Portal for up to the next 2 weeks.

HS2/SCS requested that LBH allow increased TBM Segment deliveries by road while there are no deliveries by Rail and LBH have allowed this to make sure there is enough TBM Segments being delivered to keep the TBMs tunnelling.

For context, each Train delivers 140 TBM Segments, while each lorry carries 3 TBM Segments, so deliveries by Rail are very much the preferred method in usual circumstances.

LBH have allowed in these exceptional circumstances that the TBM Segment deliveries by road be consented to take place over a 24hr period 7 days a week over the next 2 weeks (or hopefully sooner once the Rail deliveries commence again). 

In reality, with the logistical issues faced by the Haulier there is not likely to be more than 30 lorries each day delivering the TBM Segments by road. Please note that since Feb 2024 HS2/SCS had been allowed up to 24 TBM Segment deliveries by road each day between 8am & 10pm, so while there will be an increased timeframe to get the Segments delivered by lorry (24hrs a day) we would not expect much of an increase in overall numbers on the roads around Ickenham.

and this:

Just to add that if the project can’t get deliveries of segments then a major part of it comes to a standstill.

The consent has been given due to the exceptional circumstances.  The incident at the rails sidings appears on face value to be relatively minor but does require an investigation and a safety audit which has ruled out any further rail deliveries until that has been successfully concluded.  If anything, this shows how safety is paramount to the project which is a primary objective and supported. 

As said above, the ANL is not commensurate with the scale or nature of the request.  The Council has only consented to the additional movements for a short while, and because these are exceptional circumstances.  Not to consent it would cause excessive delays to project.  Given the limited increase in movements and the short time frame, on balance, the correct course of action was to allow the request subject to monitoring movements and minimising those outside core hours.   

The deliveries mentioned (24 per day) have been monitored with the majority coming inside core hours and on most days, 100% in the core hours.  

There is likely to be a change to the deliver patterns, albeit the project has indicated to a minimal extent, to service the TBMs whilst the rail deliveries are not operable.  

This is a large scale project, and incidents are bound to happen.  We are fighting hard to get HS2 Ltd to improve the comms; this ANL was not reflective of the situation and we have made our disappointment known.