Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the time taken for passengers to escape from an HS2 train door and step down onto the walkway in tunnels; what arrangements are made in the Safety Case for passengers with mobility impairment for such evacuation; and whether they will place a copy of any reports on this in the Library of the House.

Analysis has been undertaken by HS2 Ltd for a number of different tunnel evacuation scenarios. The critical time is the period for passengers to evacuate the incident train, onto the tunnel evacuation walkway and pass through a cross passage to a place of relative safety in the other tunnel bore.

HS2 Ltd’s modelling estimates that:

• For a 200m long train carrying 550 passengers this is between 12 and 17 minutes depending on the location of the fire and the train stopping position.
• For a 400m long train carrying 1100 passenger this is between 14 and 24 minutes depending on the location of the fire and the train stopping position.

For passengers with mobility impairment, the design of any evacuation ramps or devices carried onboard the train are fit for use by all passengers. Evacuation wheelchairs will be carried onboard the train to aid passengers with mobility impairment where necessary. In addition, onboard staff would facilitate any evacuation as necessary.

HS2 Ltd has no plans to place copies of any reports relating to this subject in the Library of the House.