Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to reduce train noise that is measured independently during the initial operation and testing of trains on HS2 phase one, if it is found to be in excess of Environmental Minimal Requirements.

To avoid a scenario where railway noise would lead to a non-compliance with the project’s Environmental Minimum Requirements, HS2 Ltd is developing integrated requirements, specifications and tests for each component of the railway that contributes to the end-state noise. As part of these integration activities, HS2 Ltd monitors planned performance against requirements and compliance against its noise commitments.

HS2 Information Paper F4 explains the project’s framework for monitoring operational noise and vibration from the railway. This framework includes commitments to monitor the performance of noise and vibration control measures applied to the operational phase of the railway, and to share information with Local Authorities. Information Paper F4 includes a commitment to undertake corrective action, if necessary, to improve performance and prevent future loss of performance where required to achieve the project’s operational noise performance objectives (as set out in Information Papers E20, E21 and E22).

The steps that would be taken if performance did not meet expectations would depend on the specific causes. However, in line with HS2 noise policy, all reasonable and practicable mitigation measures would be considered, with specific regard to acoustic performance, value for money, engineering practicability, impacts on other environmental disciplines and stakeholder engagement.