All the latest news and views.
HS2 Ltd has revealed the design for the new state-of-the-art maintenance hub, which will house the people and equipment that will keep the first phase of HS2 running smoothly and efficiently.
HS2’s Carbon Manager, Mark Fenton shares HS2’s plan to reduce carbon emissions across the railway network with Mimi Ibrahim in Focus Magazine, Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics, May 2022
What methods are being utilised to ensure that HS2 has achieved net-zero throughout the entire network by 2035?
The net-zero carbon plan published earlier at the start of this year sets out some new commitments and targets – primarily achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. As part of this, we have a series of stepping stone targets to get us to that point. We have a target to reduce whole-life carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. We will achieve this by applying the carbon reduction hierarchy.
We’re implementing that by working with our supply chain and engaging with industry groups and research organisations so that we can identify and implement lower-carbon materials, use alternative fuels, renewable energy, and new construction methods.
All the various designs to reduce the carbon footprint of the program and support the decarbonisation of the UK construction sector and we’re achieving approximately a 25% reduction across phase one. Some of the ways that we’re doing that are by (more…)
We have submitted the following letter to the Transport Secretary seeking to protect HS2’s Golborne link. Together with the Railway Industry Association and Rail Freight Group, the letter points out that the Golborne link has already been factored into the budget for HS2, and that axing the line would create Read more…
Two brand-new images have been released showing the concept design for the exterior and interior of the new HS2 station at London Euston. The designs, updated from 2015, are based on a less complex, more efficient, ten-platform station which can now be built in a single stage. They have been drawn up by a design consortium made up of Arup, WSP and Grimshaw Architects, working into HS2’s Station Construction Partner, Mace Dragados JV (MDJV). (more…)
It has been confirmed that a decision by Hs2 to move more material by rail into construction sites near Aylesbury will take the equivalent of an extra 28,500 lorries off Buckinghamshire’s roads and save 9,680 tonnes of carbon emissions. The move to cut lorry numbers will help reduce disruption for communities Read more…
New polling undertaken by Opinium on behalf of the High Speed Rail Group shows that the decision to cancel HS2’s Eastern Leg has undermined the people of Yorkshire’s faith in the Government’s levelling up agenda, with 42% of those with an opinion opposed to the scheme’s curtailment, as opposed to Read more…
Work on the UK’s longest railway bridge has ramped up this week, with High Speed Rail Group members Align JV beginning production of 1,000 enormous concrete segments that will form the deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct.
The viaduct will carry high-speed trains some 3.4km across a series of lakes and waterways just outside London, with the design inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water. The design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement views across the natural surroundings.
The huge deck segments – which weigh up to 140t – are being made on site at a temporary factory built specifically for the project. Each segment will be a slightly different shape depending on where it fits into the viaduct, a modular approach chosen to ensure quality, safety and efficiency in production and to avoid having to transport the segments by road.
HS2 Ltd is on track to cut the amount of embedded carbon in the viaduct by at least 28.4%. Applying lessons from the construction of the latest European high speed railway (more…)
We are in complete agreement with the Government that levelling up must be a national priority ahead. Across the globe, there is evidence that transport infrastructure is one of the most effective means of delivering real change on this front. The Government are right to point to the transport-led regeneration Read more…
The deposit of the Hybrid Bill for the Western Leg of HS2 is a key moment in the advancement of HS2, as plans are progressed to create a truly North-South railway with connections between Crewe and Manchester. High speed rail links, which will change the nation’s economic geography, are one Read more…
HS2 Ltd has published it’s Net Zero Carbon Plan, which sets out how HS2 will achieve new carbon reduction milestones, support the decarbonisation of the UK construction sector and reduce the carbon footprint of the programme. The report details that HS2 trains will be powered by zero carbon energy from the first Read more…