Our latest report makes the case for putting rail at the heart of a green post-pandemic economic recovery. Building back better – the green case for rail investment after the pandemic has been developed in partnership with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), and calls for a major investment in high Read more…
Our latest report calls on the Government to commit to decarbonising Britain’s railways by 2040 by making a “transformative investment” in a national high speed rail network. Responding to the Department for Transport’s consultation: Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge outlines how as a new, zero carbon transport spine for Britain, HS2 Read more…
Sustainability and resilience have never been more important in transport infrastructure than now. The ambition for a megaproject such as HS2 has always been to build the most sustainable railway of its type in the world. Representing companies with relevant experience and an interest in high speed rail, the High Speed Rail Group is acutely aware of the challenges to industry that the government’s net zero carbon target brings. As part of its commitment to managing carbon footprint, HS2 has also set ambitious targets for its supply chain to minimise the whole life carbon emissions of its assets including buildings. For stations this includes achieving net zero carbon in operation for regulated emissions and achieving a 50 per cent reduction in whole life carbon emissions against a baseline for a typical station.
Arup has produced a design for HS2’s new Interchange station, to be built near Solihull and the NEC in the West Midlands. The station will be one of the best-connected places in the UK, with customers (more…)
Although the Coronavirus crisis has been dominating the headlines, environmental challenges have not gone away. The warm weather that is lifting spirits is also leading scientists to predict that 2020 will be the hottest year on record. Indeed, after the lockdown had already started, the DfT launched a radical consultation to inform its Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP). Calling for less car use and making public transport the first choice for daily travel, it represents a huge change from decades of previous policy.
It is important for HS2 now to rise to this opportunity. In her most recent report, Sadie Morgan, the chair of HS2’s independent design panel, called for more evidence and communication on how net zero is driving HS2 Ltd’s decision-making, calling for action from board level to those working on site. Professor Morgan also sits on the National Infrastructure Commission, which is undertaking a Rail Needs Assessment for the Midlands and the North. Clearly making the carbon case will be important for securing approval for Phase 2b and beyond.
The big challenge here is (more…)
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) have announced they are amending their 2020 work programme in response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The CCC will refocus its annual Progress Report to Parliament in June to include advice on supporting a resilient recovery following the pandemic, alongside the statutory assessment of Read more…
How the UK tackles its transport emissions is critical to its ability to show leadership when co-hosting November’s COP26 climate conference. Domestically, surface transport now emits more than any other sector while the UK’s aviation industry has the third highest emissions of any country in the world. With our submission Read more…
Reports such as the one released by the Wildlife Trust not only misrepresent the substantial environmental case for HS2, but figures contained within it make misleading claims as to what is actually happening on the ground. For example, the report asserts that 693 Classified Local Wildlife Sites are affected. In Read more…