News on HS2 in Staffs

Since the publication of our newsletter and In Your Area booklets earlier this year, we wanted to:

The Phase 2a Bill was deposited in the House of Commons in July 2017. Following design reviews, which took into account ongoing engagement with stakeholders and communities, two Additional Provisions (APs) confirming design changes, were deposited in March 2018 (AP1) and February 2019 (AP2) and for each of these, Select Committee hearings were held.

The Bill entered the House of Lords in July 2019 and as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, the House of Lords Select Committee hearings, due to commence in March 2020, were suspended. The Select Committee hearings resumed in July 2020 and petitioners were offered the opportunity to be heard virtually or in person, with all hearings completed by 23 September.

We expect Royal Assent to be granted in late 2020, providing us with the permission and powers we need to build and operate the railway - this means that our construction work can begin.

As the Bill process progressed, the design for Phase 2a has been amended following scrutiny by the House of Commons Select Committee, after deposit of Additional Provisions 1 and 2. The last update to safeguarding was made in September 2017, and on 23 June 2020 the Government announced a further update to the Safeguarding Directions (safeguarded zone) and zoned property schemes for the Phase 2a section of the route .

Letters were sent to all affected property owners to notify them where Safeguarding Directions have been updated. We responded to queries from some residents who received these letters and provided further guidance and reassurance about the changes where needed.

In the coming months, you may see our teams out and about undertaking surveys as we continue our preparations for building the railway. This will include:

Access for our investigations

In order to gain access to land or property to carry out surveys or investigations, we have historically entered into licences with landowners and occupiers. All licences expired earlier this year and we will not be issuing new licences. We will instead be using powers under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, requiring HS2 Ltd to serve notice on affected parties on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. If we need to access your land as part of these surveys you will receive a letter which will explain what we are doing, when and how.

In the meantime, we are continuing to talk to people and organisations affected by the route, ensuring they understand what is being planned, while identifying opportunities to address any concerns.

The Phase 2a Community Engagement Team remains in place and available throughout the current restrictions and can help with any questions you might have about Phase 2a or the project as a whole.

We are continually reviewing the works on our construction sites in line with Government and Public Health England advice on dealing with COVID-19. The Government’s current strategy makes it clear that construction activity can continue as long as it complies with this guidance. Only sites that can operate within the guidelines are working, and they remain under constant review.

While we have postponed all face-to-face engagement events and meetings, we have been keeping communities informed and involved in different ways. This includes letters, emails, phone calls and online events.

Archaeology on the Phase 2a route

To mark the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology , we held a series of free online events for communities to get involved and find out more about what treasures are being unearthed as we build the country's new high speed railway.

An Introduction to HS2 Archaeology: Staffordshire and Cheshire , highlights how our archaeological works on Phase 2a from Fradley to Crewe, which cross north Staffordshire and East Cheshire, build upon our experiences and discoveries from Phase One, revealing new insights and findings about the history of this landscape.

Led by Chris Jordan, our Historic Environment Manager for Phase 2a, this talk introduces the heritage along the Phase 2a route, including the influence of the landscape, and discusses what we are trying to discover, how we do it, and what exciting finds we might expect over the next few years.

We will be hosting more of these events over the coming months, as we continue our preparations to build the new railway. We will get in touch to let you know when new events are scheduled in your area. All upcoming events across the full HS2 route are listed on the HS2 website at www.hs2.org.uk/events .

Our HS2 Helpdesk team is available all day, every day to listen and help with any questions you may have about the project. This is a key part of our commitment to keep you informed while we build the new railway.

If you want to find out more about the HS2 route, the opportunities available or any other changes it might bring to your area, you can contact our Helpdesk team on:

For more information about our Helpdesk and how to get in touch with us, please visit www.hs2.org.uk/helpdesk .