Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what derogations they are seeking from European Technical Standards for interoperability in respect of dimensions of the GC structure gauge for new high-speed lines for station platforms and other incursions into this gauge that might prevent standard GC gauge compatible trains from using HS2.

It is the intention that the HS2 projectwill comply with the GC structure gauge requirements for new high speed lines as set out in the current Technical Specification for Interoperability. There is no intention at this stage for a derogation to be sought in relation to this requirement.