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  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Natura 2000 sites have been identified as being within 10 miles of the proposed Phase 2 route of High Speed Two.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The following Natura 2000 sites within 10 miles of the proposed Phase 2 Route (Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)) have been identified:

    1 SPA site

    17 SAC sites

    SPA Name

    Peak District Moors

    SAC Name

    Birklands & Bilhaugh

    Cannock Chase

    Cannock Extension Canal

    Denby Grange Colliery Ponds

    Ensor’s Pool

    Kirk Deighton

    Manchester Mosses

    Mottey Meadows

    Oak Mere

    Pasturefields Salt Marsh

    Peak District Dales

    River Mease

    Rixton Clay Pits

    Rochdale Canal

    Skipwith Common

    South Pennine Moors

    West Midlands Mosses

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research HS2 Ltd has (a) produced and (b) commissioned since 17 July 2013 on the potential effect of the construction of High Speed 2 on the aquifer in Eddisbury.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HS2 Ltd have not produced any detailed work specifically examining the potential effect of the construction of High Speed Two on the aquifer in Eddisbury.

    HS2 Ltd has commissioned desktop studies using existing survey work for the whole of the route from Crewe to Manchester which will examine interactions with landfill and mining and other ground conditions.

    Following a route decision in autumn 2016 HS2 Ltd will begin production of a full Environmental Impact Assessment.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) construction of High Speed 2 through Eddisbury constituency and (b) dealing with engineering issues arising from salt mining, brine extraction or subsistence in such construction.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No specific estimates have been made for the cost of construction or dealing with engineering issues arising from salt within the Eddisbury constituency, however the cost of construction of this section of HS2 and risk provision for engineering issues arising from salt has been included in the overall funding envelope which was confirmed in November 2015.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the total amount of compensation payments agreed for residents along the route of the High Speed 2 line to date.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As of 30 March 2016 £280,573,795 has been paid to residents under the statutory blight regime and the HS2 discretionary schemes.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research HS2 Ltd has (a) produced and (b) commissioned on the geological effect of the construction and operation of High Speed 2 in Eddisbury constituency.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HS2 Ltd has commissioned from a mining engineer (in consultation with the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board) a study of the saltfield, which applies to Cheshire including the Eddisbury constituency.

    HS2 Ltd. has commissioned from Heriot-Watt University a modelling of the geodynamic effects of high speed railway operation, which applies route wide including the Eddisbury constituency.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on whether there have been any meetings between HS2 Ltd and King Street Energy Ltd to discuss the proposed gas storage project near Northwich.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    According to the Department for Transport’s records, representatives from HS2 Ltd met with King Street Energy on 25 September 2013 and 22nd May 2014 to discuss interactions with the proposed HS2 route.

    A further meeting between HS2 Ltd and King Street Energy is scheduled to take place later this year.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work HS2 Ltd has carried out in Eddisbury constituency since 17 July 2013 on mapping unmapped (a) pipework, (b) brine wells and (c) other brine extraction infrastructure.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No field mapping has been carried out except two successive (2014 and 2015) HS2 LiDAR surveys of the route in Cheshire.

    HS2 Ltd has commissioned from a mining engineer (in consultation with the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board) a study of the saltfield, including the location of known brine wells.

    HS2 Ltd has consulted with brine/salt extraction stakeholders in the Eddisbury constituency, including Tata Chemicals Europe Ltd. and Compass Minerals UK Ltd.

    Following a route decision in autumn 2016 HS2 Ltd will begin production of a full Environmental Impact Assessment.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which geological surveys undertaken by HS2 Ltd since 17 July 2013 have considered (a) subsidence and (b) the effects of shifting land movement owing to salt movement or other effects of salt mining in Eddisbury constituency.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No intrusive geological surveys have been carried out at this stage. HS2 Ltd has commissioned from a mining engineer (in consultation with the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board) a study of the historical subsidence effects and ongoing extractive processes in relation to salt. This includes review of ground movements in the time between two successive (2014 and 2015) HS2 LIDAR surveys of the route in Cheshire, and earlier where relevant third party LIDAR data has been made available.

    A re-review of the usefulness of satellite interferometry to evaluate historical ground movement across Cheshire (including the Eddisbury constituency) is ongoing.

    Following a route decision in autumn 2016 HS2 Ltd will begin production of a full Environmental Impact Assessment.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what forecast his Department has made of the cost of legal fees for the High Speed 2 project over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department has appointed a joint team of solicitors/parliamentary agents from Winckworth Sherwood and Eversheds LLP to provide support in relation to the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill. The value of the contract as agreed with Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group is £10.5m. The contract duration is from March 2012 until six months after Royal Assent.

    The Department has also appointed a joint team of solicitors/parliamentary agents from Winckworth Sherwood and Eversheds LLP to support the preparation of the HS2 Phase 2a hybrid bill, which is expected to be deposited in 2017. The value of the contract as agreed with Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group is £4.2m over three years, with the opportunity to extend the contract for an additional one or two years, subject to approval.

    The Department also continues to instruct a number of barristers to support the HS2 project. However, the use of barristers is demand led and so the total cost of fees over the next five years is not possible to forecast.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the change in total traffic volumes across the entire road network over present levels by (a) 2020, (b) 2030 and (c) 2040.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department’s most recent published road traffic forecast for England was published in 2015.

    Compared to the traffic volumes in 2014, the latest year for which traffic statistics are available for England, the Department forecasts that traffic volumes will be:

    a) 4-20% higher in 2020

    b) 11-38% higher in 2030

    c) 15-52% higher in 2040

    More detailed information can be found on the Department for Transport pages on GOV.UK.