HS2 construction inspectors put in place to avoid Crossrail-style delays and cost hikes
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The Department for Transport (DfT) has set up a “small team of construction inspectors” to ensure work on High Speed 2 (HS2) is delivered on time and budget.
The inspectors will work independently of HS2 Ltd and will report directly to the DfT. The roles have been established as a direct result of lessons from the Crossrail project which has suffered several delays and cost hikes since missing its December 2018 opening.
It is part of a series of measures introduced in response to a consultation on the second phase of the line which will connect Birmingham to Crewe.
The department’s response to the consultation adds: “These roles report to the DfT and will assist the DfT to assess if HS2 works are being delivered to time and budget.
“A key lesson learned from Crossrail was that there should be an independent means of assessing progress on the ground through site visits.
“The Construction Inspectors are uniquely placed to provide the DfT with a means of assuring how well HS2 Ltd’s community engagement and complaint handling activities are working in each area.”
As part of the latest consultation residents in the local authority areas of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire East, and Cheshire West and Chester, were consulted on the HS2 Phase 2a scheme between the West Midlands and Crewe. The consultation sought views on:
- The impact of road traffic as a result of construction HS2 works
- The impact of the work on the natural environment
- Transport provision for passengers connecting to Phase 2a
- Whether new railway stations, improvements to existing railway stations, and the reopening of associated lines are necessary to support passenger connections to Phase 2a
In response, the DfT has also set up a series of funds to minimise the construction impact of the second phase of HS2.
In response to local concerns, the DfT has set aside £17.85M to address concerns about construction impact on locals, local roads and the environment. (See full breakdown below)
Breakdown of Phase 2a construction mitigation funds:
- £6.5M for the Road Safety Fund (in addition to at least £7.61M committed to deliver highways improvements agreed with Staffordshire County Council)
- £5M for the Community and Environment Fund & Business and Local Economy Fund
- £2M for the Biodiversity Investment Fund
- £2M for the Woodland Fund
- £1.5M for funding additional environmental enhancement measures within the remit of the Trent–Sow Parklands and Cannock Chase AONB HS2 Group
- Up to £850,000 for a Cheshire East environment and landscape enhancement fund
The £6.5M HS2 Phase 2a Road Safety Fund will be used to “provide a legacy of road safety improvements for local communities between the West Midlands and Crewe”.
It has been set up following 365 consultation responses in relation to the impact of road traffic because of the HS2 Phase 2a works.
Issues relating to HS2 contractors and their impact on local communities has been a sore point of the first phase of the line.
As previously reported by NCE, construction-related complaints lodged against HS2 and its contractors soared to an all-time high during the first quarter of 2021.
Councils have also accused HS2 contractors working on the first phase of the railway of not working to environmental best practice, breaking promises made during the consultation process and causing “complete chaos” for local communities.
Department of Civil Engineering https://www.ibu.edu.ba/department-of-civil-engineering/
