Our latest report states that a comprehensive long-term strategy to develop the UK’s inter urban rail network is essential for future economic growth and achieving net zero. The report urges political figures on all sides to look beyond HS2 and take a fresh approach in order to maximise the vast Read more…
Economic analysis of the areas close to HS2’s three hubs in the West Midlands – Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham, Interchange Station in Solihull, and the Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre – shows dramatic increases in regeneration and investment in the last six years. Since Royal Read more…
The second giant boring machine (TBM) building HS2 under the Chiltern Hills has now broken through at the tunnel’s northern portal, completing a journey that began in June 2021. Named Cecilia, the TBM has driven for 10 miles underground to join twin sister machine – Florence. She arrived at the Read more…
HS2 has revealed new images of the project’s largest ‘green bridge’, which will cross the high-speed railway near Brackley. The bridge will cross one of the railway’s longest and deepest cuttings, which will stretch for 1.5 miles past the village of Turweston on the edge of Buckinghamshire and West Northants. Read more…
HS2’s third tunnel boring machine (TBM) has now been launched and will bore 3.4 miles under Ealing from Victoria Road Crossover Box, near HS2’s new Old Oak Common station, to Greenpark Way in Greenford. London Tunnels contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, assembled the TBM underground at the Victoria Road Read more…
HS2’s civils contractors have doubled their total spend with SMEs – companies with 250 or fewer employees – in 2022/23 when compared to the previous financial year. Small and medium sized businesses account for over 70% of HS2’s supply chain and this year shared in the £942m spend, which is Read more…
This latest report from HS2 Ltd – From trains to cranes: HS2 and the West Midlands’ development boom – outlines the economic benefits HS2 is bringing to the West Midlands, specifically the value of regeneration and investment activity close to HS2’s two local stations (Birmingham Curzon Street and Interchange) and Read more…
HS2’s innovative Wendover Dean Viaduct enters a critical new stage of construction as engineers begin the job that will see almost half a kilometre of bridge deck slid into position over the next year, high above the Misbourne Valley in Buckinghamshire. The 450m-long viaduct will be the first major railway Read more…
HSRG has responded to the European Scrutiny Committee’s enquiry into the EU’s proposed new Entry/Exit System (EES). The EES will replace manual passport stamping with an automated IT system, to record when travellers enter and exit the EU area. The EU says this new system will help to enforce existing rules, Read more…
Following the government’s decision to formally lifting the safeguarding directions for High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 2a (between the West Midlands and Crewe), we have released the following statement: Today’s decision to remove the safeguarding of Phase 2a land from Birmingham-Crewe is a mistake. Our research shows that if the land Read more…