Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of restoring the twice-hourly train service between Castleton and Manchester following the lifting of covid-19 public health restrictions.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Passengers currently have an hourly service between Manchester and Castleton which increases to two trains per hour during the morning and evening peak. Northern operates on a complex network and like other operators, it has to make difficult decisions to maximise the number of services it can offer to customers whilst maintaining a high-performing railway that people can rely on.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the environmental sustainability of all aspects of the High Speed Two project.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
Environmental sustainability is embodied in HS2’s strategic goals. All phases of the railway have environmental minimum requirements (EMRs) which set out the government’s high level environmental and sustainability commitments across all aspects of the project. HS2 is critical for the UK’s low carbon transport future; providing a low carbon alternative to road and air travel. HS2 will run highly energy efficient electric trains powered by a grid increasingly using zero carbon sources. As the grid moves to supplying 100% zero carbon energy, journeys on HS2 will also move to zero carbon.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of High Speed Two construction waste he plans divert from landfill.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The impacts and effects arising from managing the material from HS2 were set out in the Environmental Statements for Phase 1 (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hs2-phase-one-environmental-statement-documents ) and Phase 2a ( https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hs2-phase-2a-environmental-statement ). These were based on a forecast landfill diversion rate of 90% for construction and demolition material. This forecast rate was based on a review of industry good practice landfill diversion rates achieved on other large-scale infrastructure projects in the UK.
HS2 Ltd has set a performance target of 95% diversion from landfill for construction and demolition material in all of its relevant contracts with suppliers.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the (a) recording and (b) preservation of archaeological finds during the construction of High Speed Two.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
During route development, design of the scheme and early construction, HS2 Ltd has sought to avoid and reduce impacts on heritage assets, including archaeological remains. HS2’s historic environment programme employs a wide range of specialists to undertake the historic environment works required. This includes historic environment evaluation, recording and investigation, post-excavation assessment, analysis, archiving and dissemination of the results.
Many exciting discoveries have already been made during excavation works on Phase One and these have been shared with communities close to the line and further afield. The creation of HS2’s historic environment physical and digital archive is an integral part of the lasting legacy of the programme. HS2 Ltd and its supply chain continue to host webinars, provide lectures, and work with communities and academics, in order to deepen our understanding of the history of England.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the maximum use of rail freight for moving materials during the construction of High Speed Two.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
HS2 Ltd’s Environmental Statement and Code of Construction practice states that as the ‘Nominated Undertaker’ HS2 Ltd should plan to move as much material as is reasonably practicable by Rail (or Water) before Road.
Joint industry resources (including Network Rail, the Freight Industry, and HS2 Ltd) have collaborated to develop the Materials By Rail strategy and secure every available opportunity to maximise Materials By Rail volumes and accelerate the materials delivery and removals programme.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the use of low emission (a) vehicles and (b) machinery during the construction of High Speed Two.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
HS2 Ltd have set a range of engine emission requirements and targets for all construct vehicles and non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) and these can be found in the HS2 Information Paper E31; Air Quality https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/672406/E31_-_Air_Quality_v1.5.pdf
The requirements form part of the HS2 Environmental Minimum Requirements under the Act, and ensure all heavy goods vehicles meet the Euro VI engine emission standard, and all cars and vans meet the Euro 6 diesel / Euro 4 petrol engine emission standards. It also includes ambitious targets for cleaner than Euro VI HGVs and the introduction of Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles, along with carbon dioxide fleet average emissions. HS2 and its suppliers currently have a large range of low emission NRMM on HS2 sites including electric, hybrid, hydrogen and solar.
HS2 Ltd are the first organisation to require NRMM emission standards outside of London. Within London NRMM emission standards surpass the existing Greater London Authority standards. As these standards are Environmental Minimum Requirements, HS2 contractors are encouraged to exceed them.
HS2 Ltd report compliance to these standards regularly to Local Authorities and publish annual summaries in the HS2 Annual Air Quality Report which is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/monitoring-the-environmental-effects-of-hs2