Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 100955, what programmes HS2 Limited is undertaking to achieve its Net Zero target; and what the estimated cost to the public purse is of those programmes.

HS2 Ltd published a net zero carbon plan in 2022 that set out a range of targets to reduce carbon, based on the plans for HS2 at that time. HS2 Ltd reports on progress on carbon reduction annually in its Environmental Sustainability Progress Report.

Led by CEO Mark Wild, HS2 Ltd is fundamentally resetting the programme and the Transport Secretary has now set out new costs and timeframes for HS2, including efforts to cut construction costs. Looking ahead, HS2 Ltd is developing a new baseline for the programme to provide a clear scope of the work and path to delivery. Once this new baseline is in place, HS2 Ltd will review its carbon targets and plans to ensure they are consistent and deliverable within the new baseline.

Carbon reduction is embedded within the design, procurement, construction and future operation of HS2 and is not funded as a standalone programme. However, lower carbon design, which encourages more efficient use of steel, concrete and other carbon-intensive materials that are prevalent in major infrastructure can reduce cost as well as carbon and case studies can be found on HS2 Ltd’s carbon learning legacy page.