The Government has proposed that a national high speed rail network should be built.
There are two distinct phases:
- firstly a line from London to the West Midlands
- secondly two 'legs' to Manchester and Leeds which will connect to the East and West coast mainlines
HS2 is the rail link currently proposed to run between Euston Station in London through the Chilterns up to Birmingham, joining the west coast main line north of Lichfield.
High Speed Two (Ltd)
The company set up by the Government to consider the case for new high speed rail services between London and Scotland.
Department for Transport
Governmental information on the development of the HS2 plans and the proposed route.
The proposed route
A proposed route was announced in late December 2010, along with many supporting reports including the route and profile of the track, proposed mitigation strategy and connections to Heathrow and the Channel Tunnel.
Parts of the proposed route will be new and some sections will be an upgrade of, or run alongside, existing railway lines. The width of the route appears to vary from a minimum of 25m to a maximum of 60m, with at times a vegetation-free buffer to stop leaves falling onthe line, for example. Some parts of the route will be tunnelled or put into cuttings, whereas other parts will be raised on viaducts.
Such variation makes it very difficult to assess the exact direct impacts of the proposed route and the potential habitat loss.
Pitched as a green, but is it friend or foe?
There is a wide range of organisations and groups that are working to influence the development of the HS2 plans.
Arguments we have heard so far (for and against) include:
- High speed rail may not be as carbon neutral as hoped
- It will bring jobs to the Midlands
- The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) will be severely impacted
- It will destroy and fragment natural habitats
- It will help overloaded rail capacity in the South East
- It will affect historic buildings
- It will devastate local communities because of noise and vibration
- It will help solve the North/South divide
Organisations influencing HS2 development
The Woodland Trust is specialist in protecting woods and trees and we recognise that there are other important aspects of the HS2 plans that need to be thoroughly investigated and analysed, such as those listed above.
We intend to work in partnership with other organisations to enable us to share our expertise and gain a better understanding of the project from differing viewpoints.
Nationally
Locally
- HS2 Action Alliance
A not-for-profit group working to challenge HS2. You can find out about other, local campaign groups on this website also.
- Chilterns Conservation Board
The proposed HS2 route will impact directly and indirectly on many aspects of life in the Chilterns AONB, including its landscapes, wildlife, historic and cultural heritage, communities and local economy, recreation and access.
*The Woodland Trust is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.