High Speed 2

The decision and next steps

Jonathan Mitchell

Agenda

Presentation on the High Speed Rail decision

Presentation from Birmingham City Council/Centro

Questions/discussion

Background

• As per the Coalition commitment, the Government developed a proposed strategy for a high speed rail network in the UK

• Ran a 5 month public consultation process which closed at end July 2011, and extensive public engagement

• 41 days of road shows along the proposed London to West Midlands line of route

• 7 regional seminars across the UK

• Consultation received almost 55,000 responses

• Select Committee inquiry – generally supportive of the Government’s proposals for HS2

The need for HS2

Capacity Britain’s railways are becoming more and more crowded, and the demand for rail travel, particularly long distance travel, will continue to grow. We need to provide for this demand to support the needs of the public.

GrowthThe economic geography of the UK needs to change to address the wealth divide in the UK. Major cities other than London need to be able to operate competitively as unique markets on a global stage.

CarbonRail is comparatively less carbon intensive as road and air travel. We need to encourage modal shift onto rail if we are going to meet our targets.

The decisions

• National high speed rail network linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, with stops in the East Midlands and Sheffield, and direct links to HS1 and Heathrow

• Deliver network in phases: phase 1 links London and the West Midlands, and phase 2 extends the lines to Manchester and Leeds, with a spur to Heathrow

• The network will link into the existing East and West Coast main lines to serve places not on the HS2 network through ‘classic compatible’ running, including Scotland

• The route corridor proposed in the consultation for the London to West Midlands line is the right one – but we have tweaked detail of the route in light of consultation responses to further reduce its impacts

The line of routeWe have made changes to the consulted route which have significantly enhanced sustainability:

Moved the line further from Middleton

Shallower cutting and more green tunnelling at Burton Green

Mitigation of impacts at Balsall Common

Route moved slightly further east to avoid Kenilworth Golf Club, lowered into cutting through the National Agriculture Centre, and introduced a retained cutting through South Cubbington Wood (ancient woodland)

Longer green tunnel past Chipping Warden and Aston le Walls, and route curved to avoid heritage sites at Edgcote

Lower alignment and introduce green tunnel past Greatworth, and short green tunnel at Turweston

Altering alignment to take it further from Twyford

Lower alignment past Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville

Longer green tunnel at Wendover and an extension to the green tunnel at South Heath

Longer, continuous tunnel from Little Missenden to the M25 through the Chilterns AONB

Introduce a 2.75 mile bored tunnel along the Northolt corridor

Increase the clearance over the Trent and Mersey Canal near Lichfield

Introduce a longer bored tunnel at Long Itchingham Wood

Benefits of changes

•Less than 2 miles of line at surface level through the Chilterns AONB – more than half of the line would be in tunnel or cutting

•170 fewer properties at risk of demolition – almost half that of the consulted route

•1600 fewer properties would experience noticeable noise - around a third less than the consulted route

•Significantly reduced impacts on heritage sites, and on ancient woodlands

The benefits for the West MidsConnectivity

-Birmingham to central London in 49 minutes-Increased capacity on the rail network – more seats at peak times on the classic

network as well-New interchange onto Crossrail – easier access to the City and Canary Wharf

Job creation-Would create 400 jobs in construction of the Washwood Heath depot

-The Curzon Street station would support the creation of around 4,500 jobs -The Birmingham interchange station would support the creation of around 4,000 jobs

Regeneration- Would help regenerate Birmingham’s Eastside – links in with the Big City Plan

Economic growth• With enhancements to local and regional rail services, Phase 1 of HS2 would help

generate- A £1.5bn increase in economic output

- 22,000 additional jobs in the Metropolitan area- An average wage increase of £300 per worker per annum

Next Steps

Engagement

• Need to work together to understand how we make the most of HS2 in the long term

• HS2 Ltd will be working with those communities affected by the line in order to consider local views and discuss proposals to inform the Environmental Impact Assessment. This includes:

– A National Environmental Forum– Planning Framework Forums– Community Forums

• More detailed engagement with those whose property would be needed for construction – to begin later in 2012

Handling property and blight

• We will bring in a package of measures over and above what affected homeowners are already entitled to under law. This includes:

– a streamlined advance purchase scheme;– a sale and rent back scheme;– a streamlined small claims scheme;– A package of measures to reinforce

confidence in properties above tunnels; and

– a refreshed hardship scheme.

• There will be further consultation on property blight proposals in spring 2012, and a decision on the final deal will be agreed later in 2012.

Timetable

Spring 2012 Public consultation on blight proposals

Spring 2012Consultation with statutory bodies on the safeguarding zone forphase 1

Spring 2012 Government receives HS2 Ltd advice on phase 2 route options

Spring 2012Engagement programme along phase 1 route on Environmental Impact Assessment issues

Autumn 2012 New blight scheme and safeguarding zone in place

Autumn 2012Engagement programme on phase 2 preferred route, to discuss local views and concerns

Spring 2013 Consultation on Environmental Statement for phase 1

End of 2013Introduction of a hybrid bill to provide necessary powers to construct and operate phase 1 of the railway.

Early 2014 Consultation on preferred route for phase 2

Late 2014 Government’s announcement of the chosen route for phase 2

Questions