Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the discovery of water pollution in the HS2 cofferdams sunk into the aquifer for the Colne Valley Viaduct construction haul road, what plans they have to call for a moratorium on the sinking of deeper piles of up to 80 metres for the Viaduct piers until the source of the pollution at the haul road pile sites has been identified.

The piling for the Colne Valley Viaduct is largely complete. The extensive monitoring of groundwater around all piling works and cofferdams has detected no contamination issues in the water environment related to HS2 construction works within the Colne Valley. Monitoring data is shared on a frequent basis with both Affinity Water and the Environment Agency. Affinity Water has its own monitoring regime to verify these results.

HS2 Ltd has consents in place with the Environment Agency, in consultation with Affinity Water, for these works, which are supported by an extensive groundwater risk assessment and monitoring regime to avoid pollution or long-term impact to the underlying aquifer. There are no plans to cease the construction of the piles which will support the Colne Valley Viaduct.