Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what effect the Court of Appeal judgment of 27 February 2020 on Heathrow expansion and the need to take into account climate change goals has on the progress of High Speed Two.

The Government is still considering the full implications of the recent Heathrow judgement and what impacts, if any, it might have on other projects such as HS2. It is a complex and important judgment which the Government will need time to consider carefully.

HS2 is due to play a key part in the transition to a net-zero carbon UK economy by 2050. HS2 will offer some of the lowest carbon emissions per passenger km – seven times less than passenger cars and 17 times less than domestic air travel in 2030. By providing a cleaner, greener way to travel, HS2 will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country’s fight against climate change.