High Speed Rail: Route, Speed and Station Locations

• The Oakervee report was published in February 2020. The report was commissioned to review whether the HS2 project should proceed, and how it might continue. The report recommended the continuation of HS2, arguing that “the original rationale for HS2 still holds”. The report’s recommendations included that:

• HS2 be planned as part of the national rail network;
• speed should not be in and of itself the primary driver of decision making; and
• Old Oak Common station should act as the temporary London terminus until Euston station is complete.

• Environmental groups, such as the Wildlife Trusts, have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the project. It argues that HS2 will have significant impact on areas along the route, including 108 ancient woodlands, 693 classified local wildlife sites and 21 designated local nature reserves.
• The Government has stated that Environmental Statements have been published for phases 1 and 2a, and that it intends to plant 7 million trees along the first phase route.
• The House of Lords Economic Affairs committee raised issues with the proposed speed of HS2 in their report Rethinking High Speed 2. The Committee recommended reducing the speed of the service as a way to reduce costs.
• Commenting just before the release of the Oakervee report on 10 February 2020, the Government stated that no decision had been made to revise the speed.

This House of Lords Library Briefing contains a selection of material relevant to the forthcoming question for short debate on 11 March 2020 to “ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current options for (1) the route, (2) the speed, and (3) the station locations of HS2”.