Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether HS2 Ltd has made an assessment of the area that would potentially be affected by debris in the event of a high-speed incident at the point where HS2 will pass through Crofton.

The new high-speed railway will be designed to further improve standards of railway safety. The HS2 design includes numerous features that minimise the likelihood of a train accident and reduce its consequences. HS2 is implementing a modern signalling control system called the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) which includes an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) function. Such a system continuously monitors the speed of the train and if the route ahead is clear, braking the train if necessary.

In addition to the signalling system, HS2 is systematically identifying the causes of all hazards that would cause a risk to the railway or from the railway onto the local population. This is following a process called the Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment. This analysis will ensure that the railway design minimises accidents by isolating the railway from danger and mitigating risks.