Environmental protestors target HS2 London sites May 4, 2020 Environmental protestors have this morning targeted HS2 sites across London, including at Euston station, saying that money from the project should be funnelled to the NHS instead. As part of a day-long action against the controversial rail project, protestors are blockading sites across London, including at Colne Valley, a natural park in west London. At [...]
Costain secures £3.3bn HS2 contract that could create 6,000 jobs April 15, 2020 Engineering firm Costain has won a £3.3bn contract to design and build the tunnels connecting the HS2 railway to London Euston station. This initial phase of the High-Speed Two (HS2) railway project, which controversially got the go-ahead from government in February, will create 6,000 jobs, Costain said. Costain’s share price surged 23 per cent to [...]
HS2 boss says only building line to Crewe ‘doesn’t do justice to the business case’ March 10, 2020 The boss of controversial rail project HS2 has said that only building the line to Crewe “doesn’t do justice to the business case” after doubts emerged over whether the proposed eastern route to Leeds would be built. In a speech last month Andrew Stephenson, the new minister responsible for the project, made no mention of [...]
Chris Packham to challenge HS2 decision on climate change grounds March 3, 2020 Renowned broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham has launched a legal challenge against Boris Johnson’s decision to green light the controversial HS2 rail project on climate grounds. According to Packham, the climate impact of HS2 is “incompatible” with the UK’s net zero target, and will damage or destroy almost 700 wildlife sites, including over 100 ancient [...]
Exclusive: Mystery of HS2 letter deepens as Chinese ambassador calls document ‘fake’ March 3, 2020 The provenance of a letter claiming to be from China’s state-run railway offering to build HS2 has been plunged into mystery after the Chinese ambassador to the UK said that no such letter had ever been written. Speaking at Chatham House, ambassador Liu Xiaoming said “the Chinese railway authority did not write a letter to [...]
New HS2 minister promises to oversee project with ‘forensic scrutiny’ February 27, 2020 The new minister for HS2 rail has promised to oversee the controversial project with “forensic scrutiny”, saying that the rail link had to regain “the public’s trust”. The project was given the go-ahead by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this month, despite estimations that the cost could run to more than £100bn by the time [...]
HS2 reveals Old Oak Common station design February 19, 2020 HS2 has unveiled its new designs for its planned passenger super-hub at Old Oak Common in west London, which will serve 250,000 passengers per day. The plans for the new hub, which were submitted for planning approval today, are part of a wider regeneration project for Old Oak and Park Royal, which will see the [...]
Extinction Rebellion occupies HS2 drilling rig in West London February 18, 2020 Extinction Rebellion have this morning occupied a drilling rig at an HS2 site in West London, claiming that the drilling could contaminate an aquifer which provides almost of quarter of London’s drinking water. Two members of the activist group, including Paralympian James Brown, have climbed onto the roof of the vehicle and have unfurled a [...]
Alstom confirms Bombardier merger talks February 17, 2020 French train manufacturer Alstom has confirmed talks to purchase the rail division of Canadian firm Bombardier are ongoing. The proposed deal could be worth $7bn on an enterprise value basis, Reuters has reported. Reports of the merger came last week, quoting a French TV station, that Alstom’s board was set to make an offer. “Alstom [...]
HS2: China tells UK it can build high-speed line in five years and at lower cost February 15, 2020 The UK is considering giving China’s state-owned railway builder a role in constructing the HS2 rail line. Government officials said “preliminary discussions” had taken place, but no “concrete commitments” had been made. The Chinese railway firm said it could build the line in five years and at a much lower cost, according to a letter [...]