Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the maximum percentage of spoil from the HS2 development that could be transported by rail if Network Rail allows up to seven spoil train pathways per day.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HS2 Ltd are currently undertaking design and construction planning to identify and confirm volumes of excavated material that will be removed by rail and road from Euston station. Details are expected at the end of 2018.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the percentage and volume in millions of cubic metres of spoil from the HS2 development that will need to be transported across Camden by HGV lorries as a result of recent revisions to the plans for the HS2 throat and HS2 station design at Euston station.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HS2 Ltd are currently undertaking design and construction planning to identify and confirm volumes of excavated material that will be removed by rail and road from Euston station. Details are expected at the end of 2018.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2016 to Question 41593, when the additional works on passenger train impacts from any transportation of excavated and construction materials at Euston is planned to be completed.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The detailed timetable for this work is being developed with Network Rail. However, we would hope that it would be complete in early 2017. This work will be undertaken in close dialogue with the Greater London Authority, London Borough of Camden and Transport for London.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2016 to Question 41593, for what reason HS2 Ltd is supporting a two rather than three railhead option at Euston for the transportation of excavated and construction materials.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The decision to pursue a two railhead solution was based on a detailed consideration of the environmental, socio-economic and value for money benefits of that option as compared to the value for money disbenefits of the option that included a third railhead. HS2 will, however, continue to seek ways to mitigate the construction programme impacts and to respond to feedback, which will include exploring, during the detailed design phase, additional and/or alternative opportunities to move material by rail including, but not limited to, the third railhead option.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to substantially reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles on the roads around Euston; and if he will make it his policy to encourage the use of rail to transport excavated and construction materials in that area during the development of High Speed 2.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
As set out in Information Paper E13 (Management of Traffic during Construction), HS2 Ltd has a policy of using rail to transport bulk excavated material over long distances, wherever reasonably practicable. In addition, the Secretary of State has provided an assurance to the London Borough of Camden and Transport for London to seek to maximise, as far as reasonably practicable, the movement of material by rail at Euston. A detailed study has been undertaken to explore how this could be achieved, which has highlighted a number of technical options which are currently being assessed with respect to the impact on passengers, the environmental and socio-economic impacts and impacts on the HS2 programme. An initial decision on how to proceed will be made following the completion of this assessment.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the objection in the Euston Area Plan on prioritising local people's needs adopted by the London Borough of Camden, the Mayor of London and Transport for London in January 2015 is not referred to in the Supplementary Environmental Statement for High Speed 2.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
HS2 Ltd deposited an Additional Provision (AP3) to the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill and a Supplementary Environmental Statement (SES2) on 16 September 2015. AP3 and SES2 include revised plans for London Euston station.
SES2 reports on the likely significant environmental effects of updated environmental information and changes that are new but within the powers already being sought under the Bill and within the limits described in it. Changes that go beyond the existing powers and limits described in the Bill are contained in AP3.
The purpose of SES2 however is not to consider objections to the proposed changes; these are considered through the relevant consultation and petitioning processes.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make provision for additional compensation schemes for people in (a) the London Borough of Camden and (b) other parts of London, supplementary to the existing High Speed 2 compensation scheme and similar to the additional support provided to people in rural areas affected by that project.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
HS2 property compensation schemes in urban areas already go well beyond what is required by law. There are no plans to extend the rural provisions to the London Borough of Camden or other parts of London.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the proposed Crossrail 2 project; and what assessment he has made of the relationship between that project and the successful completion of work on High Speed 2 at Euston Station.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
A decision is yet to be taken on Government support for or investment in Crossrail 2.
The current safeguarding direction represents the proposed route and includes an area north of the Euston Road, necessary if Crossrail 2 was to serve Euston Station.
The completion of work on High Speed 2 at Euston Station is not dependent on the construction of Crossrail 2.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what increase there has been in the mitigation and compensation budget of High Speed 2 as a result of the greater impact of AP3 construction works on Camden residents and businesses in (a) intensity, (b) length of construction period and (c) need for temporary rehousing and secondary glazing.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The cost of mitigating the construction works impacts arising from changes to the hybrid Bill scheme for Euston introduced by AP3 and the budget for any additional statutory and discretionary compensation costs will be accommodated within the existing overall budget for Phase One of HS2.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications have been made in each community forum area in Camden under the (a) Exceptional Hardship and (b) Need to Sell schemes of High Speed 2; and what the outcome of each such application has been.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We do not categorise applications for the Phase One Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) or the Need to Sell (NTS) scheme by the applicant’s Community Forum Area. Nevertheless, from Holborn and St Pancras, we have received six Phase One EHS applications, including two reapplications. Two have been accepted, two were refused and two were withdrawn. Regarding the NTS, from Holborn and St Pancras we have received six applications, including one reapplication. Three have been accepted, two were declined and one is on hold.