HS2 bosses will strive to minimise environmental impact

BOSSES at HS2 Ltd – the company planning the huge high speed railway which will cut through the Warrington area – have pledged to strive to minimise the environment impact of the project in the borough.
Feedback from local people will help them to do this, they claim.
Two local “drop in” sessions are being held this week and HS2 are urging local people to attend them.
One is at Golborne Parkside Sports and Community Centre, Rivington Avenue, Golborne today (Tuesday) and the other at Culcheth Sports Club, Charnock Road, Culcheth, tomorrow. Both will be in session between 2pm and 8pm.
Leonie Dubois, head of consultation and engagement for Phase Two of HS2, said consultation with local residents was a key part of the planning process.
One meeting had already been held – at Hollins Green – and more than 200 people had attended.
She said: “We were pleased with the turn out because feedback from local people is a key part of what we are doing. We want people to fully understand the process.
“This is a working draft and people will definitely not be wasting their time by giving us feedback. “
“HS2 aims to be one of the most environmentally responsible infrastructure projects ever delivered in the UK. We recently published our Working Draft Environmental Statement which sets out our commitment to minimising the impacts of the railway during construction and operation.
“We will be delivering a green corridor alongside the railway – a network of wildlife habitats, woodlands and community spaces featuring seven million new trees and shrubs on the route from London to Birmingham alone.”
Ms Dubois said she was aware of local concerns about proposals to close part of Wigshaw Lane, Culcheth and HS2 was looking at various options in line with feedback already received.
She stressed the benefits in terms of employment and apprentices that would flow from the project.
More than 30,000 people would be involved in Phase 2 alone and more than 90 companies across the North West had already won contracts
The travel time between Warrington and London would be cut by half-an-hour
“HS2 will be a world class railway system,” she added.
Construction of Phase One of HS2, between London and Birmingham, has already started with more than 7,000 jobs supported.