Statement by HS2 Ltd on the Hillingdon Traffic Study
A statement by HS2 Ltd regarding a traffic study being undertaken in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
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In accordance with undertakings provided by HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd, since December 2015, HS2 Ltd, Transport for London (TfL) and the London Borough of Hillingdon (LBH) have been actively engaged in a study to reduce the forecast level of HS2 construction-related Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) movements in Hillingdon.
The study, which will be completed in May 2016, aims to develop options to limit the peak HGV highway movements to less than 550 (two way) per day on Swakeleys Road and Swakeleys Roundabout, with significant reductions in HGV movements also on Harvil Road and Breakspear Road South.
The options being developed include reprogramming construction sequencing, reducing and reusing excavated material, and maximising as far as reasonably practicable the volume of material to be moved by rail. It also seeks to reduce non-peak HGV volumes and significantly reduce the amount of material to be sustainably placed in the Borough.
Representatives of HS2 Ltd, TfL and LBH have attended five workshops and these have been collaborative, open and productive. A number of initiatives have been proposed, reviewed and discussed. The following key initiatives to reduce HGV vehicle movements and/or Sustainable Placement have been shortlisted for further evaluation by those involved:
| No | Initiative | Potential to reduce HGV movements | Potential to reduce Sustainable Placement |
| 1 | Re-use of soil excavated from Copthall Cutting to construct the new Harvil Road embankments | Significant | Significant |
| 2 | Extension of the new River Pinn and Breakspear Road South HS2 bridges instead of embankments to reduce the volume of imported fill materials | Significant | Moderate |
| 3 | Deposit of excavated material from the Copthall Cutting on the interval between the HS2 and Chiltern Lines instead of Sustainable Placement elsewhere | Moderate | Moderate |
| 4 | Commence importation of fill material earlier in the programme to disperse traffic over a longer period in order to reduce peak HGV movements | Moderate (during peak periods only) | None |
| 5 | Earlier commissioning of sidings at the Ickenham railhead to enable additional excavated material or fill to be moved by rail rather than road or Sustainable Placement | Significant (see note below) | Significant (see note below) |
| 6 | Use of excavated material to reconfigure Uxbridge Golf Course instead of it being sustainably placed elsewhere | None | Significant |
| 7 | Use of excavated material to create a noise bund within the 60m railway safety buffer zone during the wider reconstruction of Ruislip Golf Course | Moderate | Significant |
Representatives from the three organisations will explore further ancillary traffic management initiatives focussed on reducing HS2 construction impacts at peak times and at the busiest junctions. TfL and LBH have also asked HS2 Ltd to consider encouraging its contractor through the tender process to consider manufacturing tunnel segments outside the Borough if this can be shown to reduce the overall environmental impacts of HS2’s construction.
There is still significant detailed work to be undertaken to provide sufficient confidence that these initiatives can be implemented in accordance with the undertakings provided by HS2 Ltd, and to define the outcomes that each will deliver. Crucially it needs to be confirmed that any amendments can be made without unreasonably impacting the construction programme and without causing significant environmental effects that could outweigh the positive benefits.
This will be the focus over the coming weeks, and the outcomes will be tested with local interested stakeholders through informal consultation by the end of April 2016.
HS2 Ltd will produce a detailed plan setting out all the agreed initiatives, and quantifying the reductions in Sustainable Placement and HGV movements, by mid-May 2016. This plan will be submitted to the Promoter, who will confirm their response within one month.
HS2 Ltd acknowledges that LBH and TfL reserve the right to petition the House of Lords Select Committee should they be dissatisfied with the outcome.
Note for row 5 in table above:
HS2 Ltd consider that it would only be practical to use these early sidings for either importation or excavation but not both at the same time.