net zero

HS2’s plan to reduce carbon emissions across the railway network

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…)

By Deborah, ago

High Speed Rail: Net Zero Voices

Our latest report – High Speed Rail: Net Zero Voices – make clear that given the transport sector is the nation’s largest single emitter of greenhouse gases, high speed rail has a significant responsibility to minimise its environmental impact through innovation, and ultimately to set new, higher standards for green transport.

With contributions from politics, business and environmentalism, the report shows (more…)

By Deborah, ago

First concrete segments cast for HS2’s Colne Valley Viaduct

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…)

By Deborah, ago

Images of HS2 Green Tunnels released

HS2 Ltd has released some of the first images of the longest of three innovative ‘green tunnels’ that will be built across Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire to help blend the new high-speed rail line into the landscape and reduce disruption for residents. The one-and-a half-mile long Greatworth tunnel will be built Read more…

By Deborah, ago