Latest news

Over the past few months, we have introduced a number of improvements to the HS2 website and how we share information with you. As part of this work, we have now moved the contents of the HS2 in Old Oak website to the In your area section of the HS2 website.

We will continue to provide local webpages and publish information about the progress of the railway in your area.

We have also published local community landing pages for each section of the route. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area.

We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from us and haven't already registered, please sign up directly at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it. Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .

We will no longer use this platform or Commonplace to publish information or issue emails to you. This website has now been archived. You can still access the materials that were originally available on this website by visiting the HS2 in Old Oak overview page .

Contact us if you have any questions

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We will be carrying out vegetation tidying and trimming at our Willesden Euroterminal site from 23 August to 7 September.

The works will take place from 8am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays and 8am to 1pm on Saturday, if needed. You can find out more information about the work here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We previously notified you in April 2021 about ground investigation works on Chase Road. The ground investigation works will continue until 10 September 2021.

You can find some more information here

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

As part of our ongoing pledge to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you .

This is a reminder that we're moving your local website within the HS2 website.

This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.

We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.

We are now in the final stages of this transition which is expected to be completed by mid-August, however we will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.

We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.

Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .

Contact us if you have any questions

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Earlier this year, we notified the community of our programme of demolition work to remove the western section of the Heathrow Express Depot as well as a nearby substation on the Old Oak Common Station site. You can view that notification here .

Demolition of the western section of the Heathrow Express Depot is ongoing, and only the basement slab remains to be removed. This slab will be removed over the next two weeks, using hydraulic breaking to break the slab which contains metal reinforcement. This will be minimized and less intrusive munching techniques will be employed whenever possible to do so. For further information please read the notice here .

We wrote to you in June about ground investigations taking place in Lower Park on Park Royal Road. As part of ongoing works to assist the future design and planning of the HS2 tunnels, we will be carrying out further ground investigations within Lower Park from 19 to 27 August.

You can find further information about these works here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

In a UK first, on-site 3D reinforced concrete printing is set to deliver environmental, cost and community benefits for Britain’s new high speed rail network .

The cutting-edge technology, called ‘Printfrastructure’, will be deployed by our London tunnels contractor SCS JV (Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture), in a move that represents a major step forward in construction technology.

Printing concrete with computer operated robots will enable SCS JV to make structures on site, instead of transporting them as pre-cast slabs by road before being assembled and lowered into place by large cranes.

As flexible mobile technology, 3D concrete printing enables the technique to be deployed in physically-restricted areas – avoiding the need to develop complicated and potentially expensive logistical plans.

Where our construction is happening besides a live railway, it also offers an opportunity to deliver works without disrupting the travelling public as a robot will print the reinforced concrete, enabling construction to continue and trains to run at the same time.

Previously work would have taken place overnight after trains have stopped running, potentially disturbing the local community, or would have required the suspension of services to ensure safe working.

Using a computer-controlled robot enables the reinforced concrete structures to be printed with a strengthening unique internal lattice structure, which not only significantly reduces the quantity of concrete required but also cuts waste.

But the breakthrough is underlined by technology developed by SCS JV’s Worcestershire-based partner, ChangeMaker 3D. Working with UK advanced materials specialist, Versarien, the high-tech compnay's innovation takes the 3D concrete printing process and combines it with the strongest material ever tested: graphene.

Concrete with microscopic strands of graphene only several atoms thick running through it like stripes in a stick of rock replaces traditional steel to help drive improved site safety, greater construction flexibility, shorter build time and a smaller carbon footprint.

SCS JV estimates that the process it is developing with the Midlands firm could reduce the concrete used and contribute toward reducing carbon by up to 50 per cent.

By removing steel and simplifying the construction process, which will no longer require cranes and significantly fewer delivery trucks, the carbon reduction could be even greater. Proof of concept trials are due to begin in Spring 2022.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We previously notified you of construction of the diaphragm wall, these and other works at our sites are ongoing throughout August and September 2021.

Please find more information about our works here

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact the helpdesk on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

This is a reminder that as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you and are moving your local website within the HS2 website.

The contents of this website will be moving over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website, and we are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project to give you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.

There are local community landing pages which have been published for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe, providing information about the HS2 route within each area. We will be adding further pages and information to each area in the coming weeks.

We are now in the final stages of this transition which is expected to be completed by mid-August, however, we will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.

We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.

Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .

Contact us if you have any questions

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

On Wednesday 28 July, we will be holding virtual 1:1 sessions with residents and our contractors from 3pm to 6pm. The theme for the sessions are utility works on Victoria Road.

You can sign up to the events here :

SCS

BBVS

CSJV

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Ahead of its arrival into the capital, the team leading the design and construction of Britain’s new railway, High Speed Two (HS2), is hitting the streets with a brand-new community roadshow.

The roadshow team will visit towns and cities from north to south this summer, as part of a bumper programme of community-focused activity highlighting the thousands of jobs, skills, training and new business opportunities that HS2 is creating.

The HS2 roadshow will make three stops in the capital with pop up events scheduled to take place in Kings Cross on 5th August, Uxbridge on 2nd September and Ealing on 21st September. The events will allow residents and visitors to find out more about the exciting plans, now well underway, to bring Britain’s new railway to the capital at its flagship new station in Old Oak Common and its terminus in Euston. Both locations are being transformed in readiness for HS2’s arrival, spearheading new housing, commercial developments, urban realms and job opportunities which will benefit local people.

Experts from all areas of the HS2 project will be on hand at each event, armed with a wealth of resources to experience during the event or to take away. So, if you’re looking for a new career, or want to find out how your business might benefit from one of 400,000 contract opportunities generated from the first phase of construction works, then head down to the roadshow to find out more.

For more information about HS2’s roadshow programme, visit hs2.org.uk/roadshow-2021

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

We would like to invite you to an online ‘webinar’ to learn about our updated plans for the conveyor system in Old Oak and Park Royal .

During the event you will find out about your local engagement team, current and upcoming works to install the conveyor system from our contractors BBVS and SCSJV, and the measures in place to minimise disruption to our neighbours.

The session will be held on two dates:

We will run this session via Microsoft Teams Meetings, which is a free to use online platform. If you have the Microsoft Teams app installed on your desktop or mobile device, the session will open automatically within that.

Further joining instructions will be sent to all registered attendees closer to the time.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Updates Diaphragm Wall Works

Earlier this year, we notified the community of our programme of piling and diaphragm wall activity as well as the concrete batching plant being constructed at the Old Oak Common Station Site. Until the plat is fully operational, at the end of July, we still require concrete to be delivered to site by concrete lorries.

Increased vehicle movements from Old Oak Common station site

From 1 to 31 July there will be an increase in concrete deliveries to enable the diaphragm wall activity. Lorries will travel from Victoria Road onto Old Oak Common Lane where they will access the site. These deliveries will assist with the safe completion of large concrete pours required for ground reinforcement works. Deliveries and concrete pours will take place during the extended working hours that were agreed with London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) in January 2021.

This will be from 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays. However, we will only work during the extended hours when necessary and we do not anticipate that the extra hours will be required on every weekday, or Saturday.

Further information can be viewed here

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

To mark the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology , we are holding a series of free online events so you can get involved and find out more about what treasures are being unearthed as we build the country's new high speed railway. The Festival of Archaeology runs from July 17 - August 1, shining a light on our past and how our ancestors lived.

Subjects we will be covering in the free online 'webinars' include:

We will also be holding our fourth weekend of open days at our Field Museum at St Mary's Church in Stoke Mandeville on Saturday 24 July and Sunday 25 July.

Inside a specially constructed tent the size of a football pitch, archaeologists working on our behalf are currently excavating the remains of the former parish church of St. Mary the Virgin. This is a once in a generation opportunity to excavate the ruins of a medieval church and churchyard. Inside the museum you can ascend the viewing platform for a bird’s eye view of ongoing excavations, as well as displays, films and finds to explore the history of St. Mary’s Church and the amazing archaeological discoveries in the surrounding area.

We’d love to welcome you onto site to explore this fascinating excavation, where you can learn about life and death in Stoke Mandeville over more than 800 years.

Tickets are available to book from 10am on Tuesday July 13 and booking will close at 5pm on Thursday July 22 .

Detailed joining instructions including our Health and Safety statement will be sent to all registered attendees closer to the time.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

HS2 Minister, Andrew Stephenson MP, has revealed new plans for the urban realm around the new Old Oak Common Station and we are asking the local community and businesses for their feedback on the designs before an application for planning consent is submitted.

The ‘super-hub’ station has already received planning approval, and permanent construction began last month, with the Transport Secretary giving work the green light. Once complete, the station will offer unrivalled connectivity, with fourteen new platforms; six HS2 platforms offering high speed services to the North and Midlands, four Crossrail – or Elizabeth Line – platforms, and four conventional rail platforms, which will be served by trains to Wales and the South West. Over 2,300 jobs will be supported by the construction of the new station, with over 200 apprentices. Today also saw us reach the milestone of 650 apprentices working across the whole high speed railway project.

Proposals also include the creation of a new public parkland that can be enjoyed by local residents, workers and rail users and will be formed of gardens, tree and shrub planting, and a viewing platform over the small wetland area and station plaza. The new park will be a destination for people to relax as well as a venue for events, and pop-up markets. The park will also offer a wide range of seating, with disability access at the heart of the plans right from the start and proposals include step free access across the main paths in the park. There will also be resting spaces for wheelchair users and accessible seating across the area.

There will also be provision for public art and visual installations which will animate and reinvigorate the park into the future. A wetland common at the front of the station also forms part of the proposals, which will be an area rich in biodiversity, and be a pleasant, safe environment with a diverse range of planting species and mature trees, creating a unique place to be enjoyed all year round. The plans have been developed by HS2’s station construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA (BBVS JV) and their design contractor WSP.

Following a four-week engagement period to take feedback on the designs, a planning application will be made to the OPDC. There are also plans from OPDC to transform the wider area, a former railway and industrial site, creating tens of thousands of jobs and new homes.

We have produced a dedicated webpage for the community to find out more about our plans for the parkland and transport hub at Old Oak Common Station, and how you can help shape them.

You will be able to discover - and have your say - on how the urban realm will play a key role in creating a sense of place around the new super hub station which is set to be the best-connected rail station in the UK.

As we develop designs for the public spaces around Old Oak Common Station, we would like to hear your views. On the page you will be able to:

There are also further details about the online 'webinar' we are holding, so that people can learn more about the proposed urban realm design for Old Oak Common Station and what it means for the local area.

The session will be held on two dates: Monday July 12, from 6-7pm and Wednesday 14 July 12.30 to 1:30pm, please select which date you would like to attend when registering.

During the event you will learn about the urban realm design including park space, security, and pedestrian and cycle access. Our team of experts will provide a presentation on the proposed urban realm design, as well as asking local residents and businesses for feedback on these proposals. They will also be available to answer any questions you may have during the event.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We would like to invite you to an online ‘webinar’ to learn about our updated plans for the conveyor system in Old Oak and Park Royal.

The sessions will be held on two dates: Wednesday 21 July from 6pm to 7:30pm and Wednesday 28 July from 12pm to 1:30pm.

During the event you will find out about your local engagement team, current and upcoming works to install the conveyor system from our contractors BBVS and SCSJV; and measures in place to minimise disruption to our neighbours.

We will run this session via Microsoft Teams Meetings, which is a free to use online platform. If you have the Microsoft Teams app installed on your desktop or mobile device, the session will open automatically within that.

Further joining instructions will be sent to all registered attendees closer to the time.

Please book to join the session here

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

As part of our extensive environmental programme, our contractors have now planted 700,000 trees and created over 100 wildlife sites along the route between the West Midlands and London .

The wildlife sites represent a mix of different habitat types, including grassland, woodland, scrub and ponds, and are already havens for wildlife including birds, bats, barn owls, badgers, great crested newts, butterflies and dragonflies.

Alongside our environmental contractors, we have designed tailored ecology plans that provide habitats for local wildlife and protected species including new badger setts, bat houses, bird boxes, reptile banks and bug houses, along with wildflower seeding, aquatic habitat creation and the reintroduction of native flora to help local wildlife populations thrive.

Up to 7 million trees will eventually be planted alongside the line from the West Midlands to London and we will leave behind more than 33 square kilometres of new woodland, wildlife and river habitats - the equivalent of 23 new Hyde Parks lining the spine of the country.

In addition, our Woodland Fund has also allocated over £1.2m as part of a grant scheme managed by the Forestry Commission, with 213,000 trees already planted including 92 hectares of new woodland creation and 52 hectares of ancient woodland restoration. For example, a project at Avon Wood in Warwickshire has created a diverse new 11-hectare woodland within three miles of the new railway. More than 18,000 new trees have been planted there, with 30% of the woodland being oak, with the rest mainly made up of hornbeam, alder, beech, lime, holly and birch.

We are continuing to progress with potential new schemes to be supported through the Woodland Fund, which could eventually support an additional 440 hectares of new native woodland creation as well as the restoration of 245 hectares of existing ancient woodland sites. Every habitat site is designed specifically to support local biodiversity, to link up existing wildlife habitats and create ecological networks which help to protect, maintain and enhance biodiversity and allow species to move through the landscape.

Examples of new habitats sites include:

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

From the 5 July 2021, we will be constructing a new access road from Old Oak Common Lane on to Wormwood Scrubs. The road will provide access to the HS2 site compounds on the Scrubs.

We will also install a site compound in the north west corner of Wormwood Scrubs. Site hoarding and vehicle access gates will be installed. The site compound will be used to house our two-storey site cabin as well as the equipment, such as cranes and diggers, to support utility diversion works in this area.

For further information please see our update works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We would like to invite you to an online 'webinar' to learn about the proposed urban realm design for Old Oak Common Station and what it means for the local area.

The session will be held on two dates: Monday July 12, from 6-7pm and Wednesday 14 July 12.30 to 1:30pm, please select which date you would like to attend when registering.

During the event you will learn about the urban realm design including park space, security, and pedestrian and cycle access.

Our team of experts will provide a presentation on the proposed urban realm design, as well as asking local residents and businesses for feedback on these proposals. They will also be available to answer any questions you may have during the event.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

From 1 to 31 July 2021 , there will be an increase in concrete deliveries to enable the diaphragm wall activity.

Lorries will travel from Victoria Road onto Old Oak Common Lane where they will access the site. These deliveries will assist with the safe completion of large concrete pours required for ground reinforcement works. Deliveries and concrete pours will take place during the extended working hours that were agreed with London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) in January 2021. This will be from 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays. However, we will only work during the extended hours when necessary and we do not anticipate that the extra hours will be required on every weekday, or Saturday.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

In February of this year, we wrote to you outlining our phased programme of works for the tunnel boring machine power supply along Victoria Road. The power supply works which started at Atlas Road roundabout junction with Victoria Road is now complete and the works moving south along Victoria Road, close to Tudor House will be completed by the end of June. On completion, our programme will continue along Victoria Road on the opposite side of the road, starting with the junction of Midland Terrace followed by the junction with Shaftesbury Gardens.

Schedule:

For further information please see our update works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

As part of our ongoing pledge to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we are introducing a number of improvements to how we share information with you .

This is a reminder that we're moving your local website within the HS2 website

This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.

We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.

We are aiming to complete this exercise next month (July) and will write to you again to confirm this nearer the time.

We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.

Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .

Contact us if you have any questions

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We will be holding a virtual one-to-one session about works in Old Oak Common Wednesday, 30 June, from 3-6pm .

Each month the virtual one-to-ones will have different themed discussions where you can book a 20-minute slot to talk with the team from HS2, SCS, CSjv and BBVS. The themes for this session are:

SCS

BBVS

SCSjv

Our one-to-ones allow people to raise questions and issues with the HS2 team and relevant contractors; BBVS, SCS or CSJV. Dates for our one to ones have now been set for the remainder of the year and can be found here . We shall remain virtual for the time being as feedback suggests that people find the convenience of online is better than face to face.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

From 28 June 2021 , during the Network Rail road closure we will be constructing access points to our sites on Wormwood Scrubs. The new access points will all be located on Old Oak Common Lane. We will lower sections of the footpath and install concrete slabs to protect the services in the area. The new access points will allow construction vehicles to access and exit the site compounds on Wormwood Scrubs.

Traffic Marshalls will be present on both sides of the road closure to help divert pedestrians and manage vehicle movements. We will monitor to ensure that noise does not exceed current permitted levels. In the event of a rise in noise levels, acoustic barriers will be used to reduce the noise.

For further information please see our works notification.

Previous work notification linked to these works can be found here.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Our Willesden Euroterminal team have been receiving excavated materials from other HS2 sites in the area. We now have enough excavated material on site to start removing it from the area by rail.

The first train will be loaded in the railway sidings in the Willesden Euroterminal site on 28 June. The train will depart from the site on 29 June 2021 between 3am and 6am to align with the rail freight timetable. These dates may change.

For further information please see our update works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

We are temporarily closing Old Oak Common Lane between Wells House Road and Wulfstan Street to cars and lorries between 01:00 on 28 June until 23:00 on 11 July. 28 June and 11 July 2021 . This means there is a diversion in place via Wales Farm Road and access to Wells House Road is maintained.

There will be 24/7 access for pedestrians. Cyclists will be asked to walk their bikes through. There is pre-arranged, managed access for the immediately affected businesses.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Overnight Emergency Repair – Victoria Road (Near Boden House), 21 June to 22 June 2021 (23:59 – 04:00)

On Friday 18 June a large pothole appeared on Victoria Road, near to Boden House. Victoria road will need to be closed for 4 hours while the repair takes place, and the road is fully reinstated. The repair will be taking place overnight tonight to cause as little disruption as possible.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Demolition works:

From 21 June 2021 , works will commence to demolish the western section of the Heathrow Express Depot as well as a nearby substation.

Our previous notification can be found here.

These buildings are both located on the western end of the HS2 Old Oak Common Station site, close to Old Oak Common Lane. The demolition will pave the way to create access onto and over the Wycombe Line bridge for the construction activities due to commence in the satellite sites, south of Wells House Road.

Drainage surveys:

We will be carrying out drainage surveys in the Vehicle Compliance Area off Victoria Road (Area between Braitrim House and Boden). These works will take place overnight from 22 to 24 June 2021 , between 7pm and 5am.

For further information please see our update notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

We will be carrying out ground investigation works on Old Oak common Lane from 14 June 2021 for one week.

Vegetation will be cleared from the Old Oak Common Station site from 21 June for approximately one month. These works will require additional temporary traffic management for safety reasons.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

This is a reminder that as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project, we will be introducing a number of improvements to the ways in which we share information with you .

We’re moving your local website within the HS2 website

This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.

We have published local community landing page s for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.

We are aiming to complete this exercise in July this year and will write to you to confirm this closer to the time.

We’re asking you to sign up for notifications to continue to receive updates from HS2

We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.

Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe in our Personal information charter .

Contact us if you have any questions

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

As part of ongoing works to aid future design and planning of the HS2 tunnels, we will be carrying out ground investigations within Lower Park on Park Royal Road.

These works will take place from 23 to 25 June 2021, between the hours of 8am to 6pm . The ground investigation will involve digging a temporary trench to confirm the location of existing underground utilities.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Prior to the commencement of the next phases of laying the tunnel boring machine cable ducts along Victoria Road, trial hole works need to be completed in Victoria Road at the junction of Shaftesbury Gardens. This will last for five days and is essential so that we can assess what current utilities exists at this junction. For further information please read the notice here .

Two silos will be delivered to the Old Oak Common station site tonight after 7pm. These silos will be used for the concrete batching plant and polymer plants. More information about this along with further information about work on site and extended work hours can be found here .

We will be holding a free online information and Q&A session to provide an overview of HS2’s work on the road network and how our contractors/partners are working together to minimise disruption in Old Oak Common. This event is being held on Tuesday 8th June 2021 6pm to 7pm. To sign up to the event please visit our pages here .

From 7 June, we will be demolishing a small section of a concrete building on the Flat Iron site which is a continuation of existing work on the site. For further info please visit the notice here .

Dates for our one to ones have now been set for the remainder of the year and can be found here . We shall remain virtual for the time being as feedback suggests that people find the convenience of online is better than face to face.

Our one to ones allow people to raise questions and issues with the HS2 team and relevant contractors; BBVS, SCS or CSJV. Each month you'll be able to book a slot with specific contractors in the Old Oak Common area at https://www.hs2.org.uk/events/ .

We previously notified you that this work would take place weekend of 22 – 23 May. Unfortunately, this work was delayed, and will now take place on the weekend of 29 – 30 May. We are continuing to create the new access routes to the two worksites on Wormwood Scrubs off Old Oak Common Lane. We will be digging small trenches in the eastern footpath along Old Oak Common Lane to help us identify and investigate the location of underground utility cables. For further information please read the notice here .

As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping communities informed about the planning and delivery of the HS2 project we are introducing a number of improvements to the ways in which we share information with you.

This summer we will be moving the contents of this website over to the 'In your area' section of the main HS2 website. We are also changing the way that we issue email updates about the project and giving you more choice about how you would like to receive information from us.

These changes will help to

We have published local community landing pages for each section of the route between London, the West Midlands and Crewe. These provide information about the HS2 route within each area. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further pages and information to each area.

Once we have moved all of the key pages and information from this website onto the HS2 website later this summer, we will stop updating this website. Visitors to this website will be signposted to the new pages within HS2.org.uk

At this point, we will stop publishing updates to this website and you will no longer receive email notifications from this website.

We are aiming to complete this exercise in July this year and will write to you to confirm this closer to the time.

In addition to moving the local website we are also taking this opportunity to improve our mailing lists and create greater flexibility around how you receive information from us.

We will no longer be using this website or Commonplace to issue email updates to you. Instead, we are asking that you sign up to receive information from HS2 directly. We will continue to produce regular updates about the project, including notifications of our upcoming works, how it’s being constructed and what we’re doing to make it less disruptive.

If you would like to continue to receive updates from HS2 you can sign up for email notifications at engagement.hs2.org.uk/join-mailing-list . We will ask you to confirm your email address as part of the sign-up process.

Once we have moved across all of the pages and information from this website over to the HS2 website we will stop issuing emails from this website. Instead, you will receive emails directly from us about the parts of the project that you’ve expressed an interest in.

The personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with current data protection legislation and only used for the purposes for which you have provided it.

Find out more about what we will do to keep your information safe on our Personal information charter .

If you have any questions about these changes or would like some help signing up to receive email updates from us please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team, available all day, every day on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

We previously notified you in March 2021 about vegetation clearance works next to the Dudding Hill Bridge to enable the construction of the conveyor foundations. Unfortunately, due to proximity of the works to the Network Rail lines, we were not able to complete the works. The final works in the northern abutment area (in our Atlas Road site) have now been rescheduled to take place on Sunday 30 May between 9am to 4pm. These works must be carried out during a railway track possession when there are fewer trains running for safety reasons. For further information about these works please read the notice here .

Works are ongoing at the Victoria Road Crossover Box site to build a ventilation shaft and prepare for future construction of the crossover box below ground. As mentioned in our previous notification to you in April 2021, some of these works will need to take place during extended working hours. From early June 2021 until Spring 2022, we will be extending our working hours on the Victoria Road Crossover Box site. This means that we will initially be able to undertake work on site from 7am on Monday to 1pm on Saturday, which will then we extended to 6pm Saturdays from early August 2021. Please read here for further information .

As advertised previously, we're holding virtual one to ones on Wednesday 26 May between 3pm and 6pm. If you wish to discuss anything specific with the HS2 team, you can book a 20 minute slot here .

The virtual one to ones allow people to discuss any concerns or ask questions about HS2 directly with the contractors.

We are sorry these works have been delayed and apologise for extending the four-way traffic management on the Atlas Road roundabout to 17 May 2021. Once we are suitably clear of the Atlas Road roundabout, we will remove the current four-way traffic management and install two-way traffic management on Victoria Road. For further information please read the notice here .

We have today announced the launch of ‘Florence’ – the first of 10 HS2 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) that will dig 64 miles of tunnel on Phase One of the UK’s new high speed railway. ‘Florence’ was launched from our South Portal site next to the M25 in Hertfordshire, at an event attended by HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson .

Florence, at 2,000 tonnes and 170m-long – the largest ever used on a UK rail project – will dig 10 miles of tunnel under the Chilterns, operating 24/7 for the next three years. Designed specifically for the mix of chalk and flints under the Chilterns, Florence and her identical TBM 'Cecilia'will dig separate tunnels for north and southbound trains. Each machine operates as a self-contained underground factory - digging the tunnel, lining it with concrete wall segments and grouting them into place at a speed of around 15 metres a day. Each tunnel will require 56,000 precision engineered, fibre-reinforced segments – which will all be made on site.

A crew of 17 people will operate each TBM, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They will be supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. Chalk excavated from the tunnels will be used for landscaping at the south portal site once construction is complete, creating wildlife-rich chalk grassland habitats across 127 hectares of the southern Chiltern hills. Find out more about HS2's tunnelling programme .

Named after nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale – a name suggested by local children due to her residence at nearby Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, and chosen in a public vote – the TBM will dig the first of a pair of 10 mile long tunnels under the Chiltern hills and help to safeguard the woodland and wildlife habitats above ground, before emerging near Hyde Heath. A second machine ‘Cecilia’ will launch next month to excavate the second tunnel at the South Portal site.

Built by Herrenknecht, a world leader in TBM manufacturing, at its factory in south-west Germany, the two 170m long machines were transported to the UK in more than 300 separate shipments last year , before being reassembled, tested and commissioned by an expert team of tunnelling engineers at the Chiltern tunnel south portal site, near the M25 to the north-west of London.

The first two TBMs will be operated by main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Align is recruiting 1,200 personnel in total, including 100 apprentices, to work on this area of the project and are targeting their recruitment and investment in upskilling local people who are currently unemployed, with a particular focus on women, the under 25s and those with disabilities, helping us support the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs to protect, support and create employment during the COVID-19 crisis.

More than 16,000 jobs and over 500 apprenticeships are already being supported by the project, which is set to transform transport links between Britain’s major cities, free up space on the rail network for more freight and local services and support the UK’s transition to net zero carbon emissions.

The names of the two TBMs were suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon and The Chalfonts Community College, Buckinghamshire, which are close to the tunnel launch site. They were inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern medicine, and pioneering astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin.

Some facts and figures about the Chiltern tunnel TBMs :

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

We have completed the installation of seven concrete ring segments within the shaft and are now reaching the stage where we begin our sprayed concrete lining (SCL) section. In order to ensure the SCL cures correctly when applied, we will need to do a test spray and concrete analysis test on a section of the shaft

We will carry out a test analysis on the concrete at around 10pm which will last for approximately 15 minutes. During this time, you may notice additional noise from site. For further information please read the notice here .

Our archaeology programme is continuing to unearth discoveries across our sites and we would like to invite you to join us and our contractors CSJV for a look at the history of Old Oak Common.

Have you ever wondered how and why the railway developed in the way it did? What was the area like 200 years ago and what was Acton famous for in the 17th Century?

This webinar will be hosted by CSJV’s historic buildings lead and focus on the railway heritage at Old Oak Common. During the free online event, we will:

You will also be able to ask the team questions via a live Q&A chat option.

Date and time: Tuesday 25 May, 11:30am – 12:30pm

Please note registration closes 2 hours before each live event starts.

We will be publishing a video recording of the session online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about each topic through a dedicated playlist on the HS2 YouTube channel.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Our dedicated education pages on the HS2 website have undergone a major redesign, with a collection of new resources to help teachers bring a careers context to curriculum learning with the aim of inspiring young people to take an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects and careers .

Teachers are able to find relevant resources much more easily through the introduction of a filter function, there are new resources available with supporting videos and also a workshop delivery guide with activities tailored to pupils ranging from the ages of 5 all the way up to 18.

The fresh look of the educational resources follows on from the introduction earlier this year of a suite of curriculum-linked projects designed to help teachers and parents home schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic when we were unable to deliver our regular programme of STEM workshops and schools were less able to take students 'off-curriculum' for career-themed activities during lockdown.

Created by our Skills, Employment and Education team, the resource pages include plans for STEM lessons which teachers can use to introduce a careers context to regular curriculum lessons. Activities take around 1-2 hours to complete and include using maths skills to work out how to construct a bridge across a motorway, researching the ecology of great created newts to create new habitats and using archaeological information to interpret the history of a site. Pupils also have the opportunity to design a new product to improve the customer experience when travelling by train and use their science skills to create an environmental improvement plan for their school.

We have also included a delivery guide for teachers who would like to run a STEM inspiration day in their school. This includes videos, teacher notes, presentations and worksheets for activities where students can develop their skills through hands-on and team build challenges to inspire them to become EPIC (Extraordinary People Initiating Change) engineers. Students develop their STEM powers, exploring the essential skills that are needed to be successful in a STEM career. Activities are underpinned by examples from the world of work, with students finding out about careers in transport infrastructure as they take on different roles in the challenges.

Activities include 'Stations of the Future': a team-based design-and-present activity where students compete to design a futuristic train station considering future trends and the needs of all customers and also tunnel building, where students design, construct and test a supporting structure for a cut and cover tunnel.

We have also introduced STEM projects accredited by the British Science Association, which, when completed, can be entered for a CREST Award. These are longer projects aimed at inspiring pupils to become scientists and engineers that encourage students to carry out independent research or investigation. The target age and duration of the projects vary.

The updated online resources also include activities adapted for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to encourage them to think about pursuing STEM careers. Downloadable lessons for SEND students include working in teams to design a train station, learning about ecosystems and building an insect hotel, and preparing for independent rail travel through role play.

Younger students aged between 7-11 can also get involved in shorter activities ranging from making rail tracks from everyday materials, solving puzzles and planning a railway route.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

The building of HS2 means construction sites and lorries have become a regular feature for local people. Noise, dust and vibration are natural concerns especially for those living very close to our sites. We're running a virtual event for people to find out more about how HS2 monitors air quality, noise and vibration from our sites. You can read the invite for this event here . You can book a place by going to either www.hs2.org.uk/events/ or go to Eventbrite at tinyurl.com/62rpkjzs .

Work is continuing to create the new access routes to the two worksites on Wormwood Scrubs via Old Oak Common Lane. The next phase of these works will begin from 4 May 2021, and involve further ground and utilities investigation works, as well as clearance of the stumps remaining following earlier vegetation removal works. These works will continue to be accessed via the existing maintenance access route off Braybrook Street as agreed with Hammersmith & Fulham, until the new access from Old Oak Common Lane has been constructed and track matting will be in place to protect the ground along this route. For further information please read the notice here .

Surveys & ground investigation works: 2 May to mid July 2021

From 18 April decommissioning of the Heathrow Express depot will take place. These works will include de-wiring of overhead line equipment and track recovery and will last for several weeks. Sections of the adjacent Great Western main line will be temporarily closed for several hours whilst we carry out these works.

We previously notified you that while this line is closed, work would start on 25 April. This work will now start on the 2 May . We will use the temporary railway closures to carry out important surveys and ground investigation work adjacent to the railway. To see the updated notice, please click here .

Network Rail work at Old Oak Common station site: 15 May 2021

Network Rail will remove a redundant telecom tower at the HS2 Old Oak Common station site on the evening of 15 May into the 16 May between the hours of 12am to 4am. The tower is approximately 30 years old and the system it once supported is no longer used on the rail network.

This work is by Network Rail and any contact should be made direct to them on 03457 11 41 41. For further information please read the notice here .

From 10 May to late June 2021 , we will be carrying out piling works in the Victoria Road Crossover Box site. These works will take place during our core working hours of 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm Saturdays as required.

Bored piling uses a rotary rig to remove spoil, replacing it with reinforced concrete piles that withstand tension. These piles provide a strong concrete foundation that will support structures with heavy loads. To minimise the impact of these works to our neighbours the following mitigations methods will be in place:

• Monitor ground movement, noise and dust to ensure this is kept to a minimum

• Continue to dampen down areas of the site if required to reduce the amount of dust generated by construction activities

• Continue to monitor our construction methods to minimise disruption to the local community

Works are ongoing to build a ventilation shaft and prepare for future works to build the Victoria Road Crossover Box. Works taking place during spring 2021 include:

• Ongoing construction of on-site road and drainage

• Construction of storage areas

• Ground preparations to build working platforms for future crossover box construction, including the installation of a guide wall

• Ongoing construction of the ventilation shaft and concrete ring installation

• Installation of site welfare facilities, including utility connections

• Works to set up bentonite plant and bending yard

• Piling works to prepare for construction of the Victoria Road Crossover Box

For more information please see our update works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

We previously notified you of the utility works for the Tunnel Boring Machine power supply. We are continuing with the programme of utility works in the Old Oak area, to provide power for the Tunnel Boring Machine to aid with the construction of the HS2 tunnels at the Victoria Crossover box (VCB) in Victoria Road.

Phase 1 of the works continue in Atlas Road which includes the laying of electrical power connections that will supply the power for the Tunnel Boring Machine and are scheduled to complete by 7th May.

For more information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Maintenance of pedestrian crossing in Channel Gate Road: Saturday 17 April 2021

Our contractor, SCSJV, will be carrying out works on the pedestrian crossing on Channel Gate Road to repaint the pedestrian crossing. Works to repaint the crossing are planned to take place on Saturday 17 April between the hours of 8am to 1pm. We anticipate these works will take approximately two hours. For further information please read the notice here .

Surveys and ground investigation works: 25 April to mid July 2021

From 18 April the Great Western main line will be closed for the de-commissioning of the Heathrow Express depot. These works will include de-wiring and track recovery and will last for several weeks.

While this line is closed, starting from the 25 April, we will use this time to carry out important surveys and ground investigation work adjacent to the railway. This work is important to help us to understand more about the current ground conditions in the local area. The surveys will take place along all rail infrastructure between Mitre Bridge and the North London railway line. You can read more about the work here .

Update: vehicles to start using Grand Union Canal bridge: 26 April 2021 onwards

Since February, we have been preparing the bridge for use by HS2 construction vehicles to help us reduce the use of local roads while moving materials between these sites. We anticipate the bridge to start being used by lorries from late April onwards. For more information please read the notice here .

Ground investigations on Chase Road: 29 April to 1 July 2021

As part of our ongoing works to prepare for construction of the HS2 tunnels and crossover box, SCSJV will be carrying out further ground investigations on Chase Road. This will involve digging temporary trenches to confirm the location of utilities under the road surface. You can read more about it here .

Ealing Council to close Old Oak Common Lane Saturday 10 April

Ealing have to undertake some emergency carriageway repairs and will close Old Oak Common Lane on Saturday 10 April between 7.30am to 12pm. This is not HS2 related and queries should be directed to the London Borough of Ealing. You can read more about it here .

Update about vegetation clearance at the back of Wells House Road from 12 April

There is a change in how the team are clearing vegetation at the back of Wells House Road; a mini digger will now be used due to the amount fly tipped rubbish. For further information please read the update here .

Overnight utility surveys on Park Royal Road on 21 April

We will be carrying out further drainage surveys in your area during April. We previously notified you about drainage surveys planned on Park Royal Road opposite Acton cemetery overnight on 29 March 2021. Unfortunately, these works were unable to take place as planned and have now been rescheduled to take place overnight on 21 April 2021. For further information please read the notice here .

Conveyor system colour

During the spring our contractors SCSJV and BBVS will build a conveyor system between our sites in Old Oak and Park Royal to allow for the movement of excavated material between sites. The conveyor system will be light grey in colour which will blend in to the surroundings. For further information about the colour you can read the notice here .

UKPN trial holes

UKPN are undertaking trial holes and other work on underground cables from 19 April 2021 on Network Rail land by the railway east of Victoria Road and south of Wells House Road. The work should be finished at the end of May. For further information you can read the UKPN letter here .

Concrete pour at Old Oak Common station site

Earlier this year, we notified the community of our programme of piling and diaphragm wall activity taking place at the Old Oak Common Station site. You can view that notification here: https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/notice-of-piling-and-diaphragm-wall-works/

As part of these works, we agreed extended working hours to allow time for the safe completion of large concrete pours for the ground strengthening activity, and we only work these hours where required, not every day.

We will be completing the first large concrete pour on the site on Wednesday 7 April 2021. We will aim to complete the pour as quickly as possible, however this may continue into the extended hours up until 10pm. We will have more large concrete pours over the coming months. To find out more, please read the update here .

Our contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS Railways), is launching a virtual enterprise academy for the second time and is looking for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to get involved .

The three-month programme has 150 free places available and will upskill businesses, giving SMEs the tools to work on projects like Britain's new high-speed railway.

Beginning in April, the Academy will run through until June, and the modules will cover topics including HR, health and safety, social value, carbon management innovation, the environment, risk management, finance and commercial awareness. To get involved, businesses need to have a turnover of £1 million for 2019/2020, a core business offering that aligns with the construction industry, and must demonstrate why they would like to take part in the Academy.

To date, we have already awarded around £18bn worth of contracts directly and a significant proportion of this value is expected to flow out to the wider supply chain. By the end of 2022, it’s estimated this figure will reach around £25bn. Over 2,000 businesses have already won work on the project, 70% of which are SMEs.

Registration for the Virtual Academy closes on Tuesday 6th April. In order to access and apply for a place, businesses need to register on the CompeteFor portal . We and our construction partners also use CompeteFor to advertise all subcontract opportunities, and businesses who set up a company profile can receive tailored alerts to opportunities that match their trade. As Britain strives to build back better, businesses of all sizes from across the UK are encouraged to get ‘HS2 ready’.

For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Each month the virtual one-to-one's will have different themed discussions where you can book a 20-minute slot to talk with the team from HS2, SCS, CSjv and BBVS.

These virtual one to one meetings are an opportunity for you to find out more about HS2, what it means for your local area and have your questions answered.

Our next virtual one-to-ones in Old Oak Common are on 24 March between 3pm and 6pm. For more information and to sign up please go to our website here .

HS2 and our contractors, BBVS, are continuing the work at Wormwood Scrubs which will now include the creation of the new access route from Old Oak Common Lane. For further information please read the notice here .

HS2 will be holding a community engagement meeting to discuss site activity on Wormwood Scrubs, on 23 March from 6pm to 7.30pm. The link below can be used to sign-up for the community engagement meeting:

https://www.hs2.org.uk/events/hs2-works-on-wormwood-scrubs-community-meeting/

We have introduced a new, user-friendly interactive map to the HS2 website, making it easier and simpler for you to find out what current and upcoming works we are carrying out in your area .

The new In your area map brings all of our work notifications together on one page, making it easier for you to navigate and ensure you are kept up-to-date on the work we are doing to deliver the new railway. There is also a text only view , which allows you to view the information in a table and filter results for each area.

Each work item, highlighted on the map with a 'hard hat' icon, lets you know:

You can easily see any other works we might be doing nearby, also pinpointed with an icon.

We will be introducing further improvements to the mapping tool and to this local website over the coming months. We will keep you informed of changes as they happen through our regular email notifications and our local engagement events and activities.

We'd like to know what you think about the new mapping tool and ways that we can improve it, to ensure that you can easily find information about the delivery of the railway in your area and how to contact us if you have any questions.

Let us know your views by completing our In your area map feedback survey .

If you have any questions about the recent changes or would like some help using the new interactive map, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

As part of the work taking place at the Old Oak Common station site constructing a diaphragm wall and piling work, a crane will be delivered early morning at 6am on Monday 8 March. Deliveries such as these are laid out in the notice published on our " Works in your area " page of HS2inOldOak.co.uk.

Further deliveries of abnormal loads such as cranes etc will continue to take place early mornings over the coming weeks.

We are delighted to announce that from today (Monday, February 22), applications are now open for residents across Phase One and Phase 2a of the HS2 route to become Local Community Representatives .

As part of the Construction Commissioner Steering Group (CCSG), you will represent your community, share and communicate a range of experiences and perspectives as Britain’s new high-speed railway is built, and also help to monitor the performance of the Independent Construction Commissioner (ICC).

We are seeking to recruit a number of Local Community Representatives to sit on the CCSG, which is independent of HS2 and the Department for Transport. The Group meets three to four times a year, in either Birmingham or London (when attending physical meetings) and also virtually.

For more details about these exciting opportunities and how to apply, please click on the links below. If you have any questions about the CCSG or about becoming a Local Community Representative, you can also contact: community@hs2.org.uk

Applications close on Friday, March 26, 2021 .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Virtual one to ones

Each month the virtual one-to-one's will have different themed discussions where you can book a 20-minute slot to talk with the team from HS2, SCS, CSjv and BBVS.

These virtual one to one meetings are an opportunity for you to find out more about HS2, what it means for your local area and have your questions answered.

Our next virtual one-to-ones in Old Oak Common are on 24 February between 3pm and 6pm. For more information and to sign up please go to our website here .

Conveyor system online engagement events

We are hosting three online information events for the Old Oak community to discuss the construction of the HS2 conveyor system in the area. Please join us at one of these events to find out more about:

The events are taking place the community 23 February, 1 March and 3 March. An event for businesses is taking place on 26 February. To sign up please go to website here .

With immediate affect School Road will be closed from tonight. For further information please read the notice here .

Thames Water are carrying out an emergency closure of Old Oak Common Lane this week. While the road is closed, we will carry out some vegetation clearance on the border of the station site, adjacent to the lane. for further information about this work, please read the notice here .

Continuation of utility works in Atlas Road and Victoria Road until May 2021

We are continuing to lay power cables in the area for the tunnel boring machines. Phase 1 of the work in Atlas road will complete on 26 February. Further phases of the work will take place in Victoria Road from late February until May 2021. For further information please read the notification here .

Network Rail decommissioning work at the HS2 Old Oak station site between March and September 2021

Network Rail will be taking out of use their train maintenance depot to make way for the HS2 Old Oak station and so they have to modify the existing rail network at the site. For further information please read the letter here . Please contact Network Rail direct if you have any queries about this work on 03457 114141 or NRHS2@networkrail.co.uk quoting MLN1 2m1254yds - 3m1430yds.

Thames Water work on Stephenson Street between 10am and 12pm on 24 February 2021

Thames Water will be carrying out water quality and pressure testing on Stephenson Street on 24 February. the water supply may be interrupted during this time and Thames Water recommend taking precautionary measures such as pre-filling your kettle, and avoid using appliances such as dish washers and washing machines. For further information please read the letter here and their fact sheet here . Please contact Thames Water direct if you have any queries on 0800 316 9800 quoting Bulletin Board 70018593.

Update Notification:

We previously notified residents that the first phase of remedial work to the Wells House Road boundary wall which were planned to start on 18 January 2021 were delayed. We can now confirm that this work will begin during the week commencing Monday 15 February 2021.

For further details please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Drone survey:

We will be carrying out a drone survey of the conveyor route. The drone survey is planned during the week of 22 February 2021. The survey will take one day between 8am and 6pm. The drone survey is weather dependent and the date may change.

Information events:

We are hosting three online community information events to discuss the construction of the HS2 conveyor system in the area. The events will provide further details on the upcoming works to install the conveyor system between our sites and the measures in place to minimise disruption to our neighbours.

The events will take place on:

• Tuesday 23 February 2021 – 5:30pm to 7pm

• Monday 1 March 2021 – 6:30pm to 8pm; and

• Wednesday 3 March 2021 – 12pm to 1:30pm

To register your attendance please visit https://www.hs2.org.uk/events/

For further information please see our works notification.

Utility surveys on Scrubs Lane update:

We notified you in January 2021 about additional drainage surveys along Scrubs Lane. We were not able to complete this survey as planned. The drainage surveys have been rescheduled and will take place overnight on 24 February between 9pm and 6am. We will investigate the condition of the drainage using a camera and may need to flush the drainage system using a high-pressure water jet.

Virtual 1:1s

HS2 will continue with its programme of virtual surgery-style 1:1s during 2021. Dates for 2021 are as follows

• Wednesday 24 February 2021

• Wednesday 24 March 2021

• Wednesday 28 April 2021

• Wednesday 26 May 2021

For further information please see our works notification.

Piling and diaphragm wall works:

From February to April 2021, we will be setting up large machinery on site, including several mobile cranes, piling rigs and excavation machinery. Due to the size of these machines, and the large vehicles required to bring them to the site, some deliveries of machinery will need to take place early in the morning, between 5am-6:30am, to minimise disruption to traffic.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

From 15 February BBVS will start to clear vegetation on the two sites required for the Stamford Brook sewer diversion and the Undertrack Crossing utilities works on Wormwood Scrubs. For more detailed information about the work and information about access to the sites, please read the notice here.

We previously notified you on that we would be carrying out vegetation maintenance along the Wells House Road boundary wall in January 2021 to ensure that the existing structural monitoring prisms are not obstructed by foliage. This work will now take place in mid-February 2021.

From 15 to 21 February we will be working extended hours to prepare and install a temporary logistics bridge over the Grand Union Canal. The bridge will help reduce the number of lorries off of the roads between our sites. During the work the canal path will unfortunately have to be fully closed for two days but a diversion for pedestrians and cyclists will be in place. For full details about the work, diversion and closure please read the notice here .

We sent a notification to local residents this morning about the upcoming works however since writing we have been provided further information about the temporary changes on the canal while we carry these works. The attached notification (linked above) has been updated to reflect this.

We have launched our brand-new jobs site to promote the estimated 20,000 roles that Phase One of the project is creating in the months and years ahead, the first time all opportunities to work directly on HS2 have been available to search in one place.

This follows the Prime Minister's announcement of the 22,000 job opportunities available on the high speed rail project, when officially starting construction in September 2020. The initiative has the backing of the Department for Work and Pensions and a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out the agreed roles and responsibilities of HS2 Ltd and its job brokerage partners, is in place between the two organisations.

The new digital platform, hosted on the HS2 website  , offers those looking for work or a change of career, the opportunity to search the very latest vacancies with our construction partners and station contractors delivering the London to Birmingham section of the railway. The jobs board allows prospective candidates to search for vacancies by region or specialism, so they can quickly identify opportunities that match their criteria. 

In September 2020, our four main works contractors and two station construction partners estimated that they would create over 20,000 jobs to support the decade-long construction programme for Phase One of the project. The jobs board, highlighting opportunities to work with us within the  supply chain, makes it easier for jobseekers to navigate and find a position that matches their career aspirations.

It has been developed as part of a job brokerage partnership model, bringing together local authorities, enterprise partnerships, charities and employment support services along the 140-mile route of the first phase of the new railway. Job brokerage partners will play an integral role in supporting individuals from local communities, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups into employment on the project, in line with objectives set out in our Skills, Employment and Education Strategy.

We have already supported 13,000 jobs, including more than 400 new apprenticeship starts and over 550 previously unemployed individuals. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we and our contractors also supported over 100 work experience placements to ensure that individuals are actively engaged with the programme and have the very best opportunity to capitalise on future career openings. 

The start of main construction works last year was a catalyst for the project, spearheading £12bn of contract opportunities which British businesses are beginning to bid for.  As our tier one contractors begin procuring suppliers and services required to deliver their work packages, the number of job opportunities will increase. This heightened demand has created new career pathways and long-term career prospects for individuals at all levels, in both blue and white-collar roles.

Please click here for more information about HS2’s job brokerage programme, or to search for vacancies on the new job platform .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Our main works construction partner, Skanska Costain STRABAG Railways Joint Venture (SCS Railways), has completed sheet piling works in Acton, enabling construction of the Victoria Road Crossover Box.

The Victoria Road Crossover Box, near to Old Oak Common, allows trains to switch tracks underground on their approach into the new superhub station. The installation of 200m of sheet piling was the final piece of enabling work before permanent works can begin, with the site team ensuring that vital utilities in the area, including a Thames Water Main and UK Power Network cables were unaffected.

3D model of the Victoria Road Crossover Box

The site is located to the west of where the new Old Oak Common station is being constructed. The huge underground box structure will house a crossover track mechanism that will allow trains to switch between tracks, up to a design speed of 62 mph, on the approach and descent from Old Oak Common station.

The box will be 130m in length and 24m deep, with 1.5m thick walls constructed by diaphragm piling method, with top and intermediate levels of reinforced concrete props. The base slab of the crossover box will be supported by 77 piles installed 20m into the ground below the slab level.

Key facts about the Victoria Road Crossover Box:

The site at Victoria Road is also currently being prepared to launch the Northolt Tunnel Boring Machines which will bore 3.4 miles north west, as part of the construction of HS2’s 8.4 mile Northolt Tunnel. It will also house the Victoria Road Ancillary Shaft which will provide ventilation and emergency access to the rail line during operation.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

With many parents supporting children who are learning at home during the current time, we have developed a range of interesting curriculum-linked projects to work on at home. These include shorter activities ideal for families supporting younger children with learning at home and pre-planned lessons that secondary school teachers could set students as part of their curriculum learning.

The online resources were created as a result of us being unable to visit schools to deliver our regular programme of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshops because of Covid-19 restrictions and also schools being less able to take students 'off-curriculum' for career-themed activities due to the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Our Skills, Employment and Education team has created plans for STEM lessons which teachers can use to introduce a careers context to regular curriculum lessons. The activities are expected to take 1-2 hours to complete and are aimed primarily at 11-14 year-olds. Lessons include using maths skills to decide on how to construct a bridge across a motorway, researching the ecology of great created newts to create new habitats and using archaeological information to interpret the history of a site. There are also longer STEM projects and workshops available online, where students can develop their skills through hands-on and team build challenges to inspire them to become EPIC engineers.

During the past year, five HS2 colleagues have become Enterprise Advisors for schools for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our work with these schools revealed a demand for STEM activities adapted for SEND students, to encourage them to consider STEM careers. Online lessons for SEND students include working in teams to design a train station, learning about ecosystems and building an insect hotel, and preparing for independent rail travel through role play.

Younger students aged between 7-11 can also get involved in shorter activities ranging from making rail tracks from everyday materials, solving puzzles and planning a railway route.

For more information and to download guides and worksheets, visit our learning from home educational content web page .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Each month the virtual one-to-one's will have different themed discussions where you can book a 20-minute slot to talk with the team from HS2, SCS, CSjv and BBVS.

These virtual one to one meetings are an opportunity for you to find out more about HS2, what it means for your local area and have your questions answered.

Our next virtual one-to-ones in Old Oak Common are on 27 January between 3pm and 6pm . For more information and to sign up please go to our website here .

The first phase of remedial work to the Wells House Road boundary wall which was planned to start on 18 January 2021 has been delayed and will now take place from February 2021. We recognise the importance of these works to the residents on Wells House Road and will continue to provide updates about this work via Commonplace and local engagement meetings.

Our previous notification with the full details of the work can be found here .

Surveys will be undertaken to check survey reference points from Euston Station to West Ruislip between 25 January to 7 February 2021. In the Old Oak Common area, surveys will take place at the following locations:

for further details, please read the notification here .

Our main works construction partner for the West Ruislip to London Euston section of Britain’s new high speed railway has launched two new careers-focused initiatives, helping people who have taken a career break back into employment .

In line with our drive to create employment opportunities for local people and those from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, the Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture is working in partnership with London-based organisations, Women Returners and STEM Returners , to actively engage the local community and support individuals who have taken a career break back into work.

The Women Returners initiative is aimed at experienced professionals from a variety of backgrounds who have taken a career break of two years or more. The programme will offer six months’ paid work placements to six candidates, with a high likelihood of ongoing employment on HS2. Participants will receive comprehensive support, including a Career Returners Coaching Programme.

In 2020, the joint venture recruited six high-calibre employees through the Women Returners programme, with a 100% conversion into permanent employment. It is hoped that this year’s initiative will encourage more people to join the sector and secure long-term employment. The programme particularly welcomes applications from female returners, supporting our aim to address the gender imbalance commonplace in the construction and rail sectors. However, recognising that career breaks for parental care or personal reasons are not exclusive to women, the joint venture also encourages male applicants.

The second recruitment initiative is an innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) focused programme. Six places will be available on the 12-week programme, designed for individuals with a STEM-based career background such as engineering, or those who have worked in the STEM sector. Mentoring and coaching will be provided to ensure that those returning to work after a lengthy absence, are fully supported.

After the 12 weeks, successful candidates may be offered full-time positions. The STEM Returners scheme has already supported almost 200 candidates, with 96% offered full-time roles at the end of their placement. The joint venture expects to recruit over 4,000 jobs, including positions for around 550 previously unemployed people and 400 apprenticeships to deliver its works for HS2.

Find out more information about Women Returners , STEM Returners and careers at SCS Railways .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Over 300,000 trees will be planted by our specialist ecology teams across the Phase One route during the winter months, taking the total number of trees planted between London and the Midlands to more than 730,000 by this spring .

The planting initiative is part of our extensive Green Corridor programme, designed to create a network of bigger, better-connected, habitats and new green spaces for people to enjoy. 430,000 trees have already been planted across Phase One and up to 7 million trees will eventually be planted along this part of the route, with many new grasslands, meadows and recreational areas for local communities.

This short video highlights progress so far in the delivery of the Green Corridor.

In West Ruislip , planting will create new woodland areas to provide connected habitats for bats . Trees being planted include field maple, hornbeam, hazel, holly, bird cherry, mountain ash, yew and spindle. There will also be areas of grassland and ponds created to protect local biodiversity and create new homes for a mix of wildlife.

Through Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire , advanced planting and woodland compensation planting is being undertaken at West Hyde and Horn Hill, Wendover Dean, Aylesbury, Calvert and near the village of Ladbroke, by specialist ecology and landscape companies.

In Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands , 60,000 trees will be planted at locations around South Cubbington Wood, Ashbeds Wood, Fulfen Wood, Ravenshaw and Broadwells Wood. A broad range of tree and shrub species will be planted to reflect each local area , including oak, hazel, birch, holly and hawthorn. This builds on the 80,000 trees already planted in the Midlands, with 40 ponds and many acres of wetland, heathland and meadow also created across the region.

These areas will quickly develop to create new opportunities for wildlife and people, bolstering local wildlife corridors by linking with existing woodlands and other habitats. New wildlife habitats in a variety of locations also include badger setts, bat houses, bird boxes, reptile banks and bug houses to help local wildlife populations thrive.

We have developed a new online map showing where we are delivering Green Corridor activities and highlighting our additional funded environmental projects along the route. You can view relevant Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) projects, the Woodland Fund, other local panel funds, and our environmental works in your area.

The Green Corridor Prospectus accompanies the map, outlining how the Green Corridor and associated funding can benefit communities. Used together, these tools will enable community and environment groups to identify local opportunities to enhance and enjoy the natural environment using the funds available.

Funding is available for a wide range of independent environmental projects to benefit nature and communities along the route , including creating new parks and play facilities, investing in green spaces in urban areas, regenerating areas along canals, and conserving and enhancing the historic environment. By working in partnership with organisations and individuals, the Green Corridor will deliver a positive, long-term legacy for the natural and historic environment , and for people and communities across the country.

On Phase One and Phase 2a, the £7m HS2 Woodland Fund is helping local landowners create new native, broadleaf woodlands and restore existing ancient woodland sites. The first £1.25m has been allocated as part of a grant scheme managed on our behalf by the Forestry Commission, supporting 28 woodland projects that will deliver approximately 105 hectares of new woodland and restore a further 68 hectares of ancient woodland.

For more information about funding available and how local groups can apply please visit www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/hs2-green-corridor

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Wells House Road boundary wall activity

We will begin the first phase of remedial work to the Wells House Road boundary wall on 18 January 2021. We will be fixing trial anchors (rods which will be drilled through the wall) to improve stability. Works will be carried out along the Old Oak Common Lane side of the wall for approximately one month. In order to carry out this activity safely, we will be extending the existing northbound lane closure on Old Oak Common Lane up to the junction with Wells House Road.

For further information please see our works notification.

Drainage surveys on Scrubs Lane

The drainage surveys that were due to take place on Scrubs Lane on 2 December 2020 have now been rescheduled to 13 Jan 2021 as they were unable to be carried out on the 2 December due to parked cars blocking access to the drainage. Temporary traffic management will be in place on 13 January to complete the surveys safely.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

We have recently published some new documents which may be of interest to you. This is part of our commitment to keeping you informed about HS2 progress and construction activities in your area.

We have published the fifth public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.

This report covers the six-month period from January to June 2020, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the first half of the year, along with currently available data such as from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events we have held.

View and download the Community Engagement Progress Report: January to June 2020 report. A collection of all our reports to date can be found on the HS2 website .

We will continue to publish these reports on a regular basis.

As part of our commitment to conserve and enhance Britain’s natural environment as we plan and build the railway, HS2 is creating a Green Corridor along the route, a network of joined up habitats, landscaping and community-based environmental projects.

We have developed an online map showing where we are delivering Green Corridor activities and where additional HS2 funded environmental projects are being delivered along the route. You will be able to use the map to view relevant Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) projects, the Woodland Fund, other local panel funds, and HS2 environmental works in your area.

We have also published a Green Corridor Prospectus to accompany the map. The prospectus outlines the many ways the Green Corridor and associated funding can benefit communities, for example, through the creation of new play facilities, investment in green spaces in urban areas, regeneration along canals, and conservation and enhancement of the historic environment.

Used together the Prospectus and the online map will enable community and environment groups to identify local opportunities to enhance and enjoy the natural environment using the funds available.

As you will know there are a number of grants available to support environmental projects and improve green spaces in your constituency, such as the HS2 Community & Environment Fund and the Woodland Fund. If you would like to know more about how local groups can apply for funding please visit www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/hs2-green-corridor .

We are committed to providing you with information about what construction activities will be happening in your area and when. Our construction forward looks include information on construction, environmental and survey activities planned over the next three months. The latest edition is available to view and download on the works in your area page .

Please note that the dates and information included in the forward look may be subject to change as the programme develops and any changes will be updated in the next edition of the forward look.

As a reminder, over the festive period the HS2 Helpdesk will continue to operate all day, every day , including Christmas Day and bank holidays. You can contact us for free on 08081 434 434, by Minicom on 08081 456 472, or by email at HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

We notified you in November regarding sheet piling works which were due to take place during December 2020 on the Grand Union Canal embankment next to Atlas Road and Willesden Euroterminal. Due to unforeseen circumstances, some of these works have now been rescheduled to take place from 5 January to 13 January 2021 (excluding weekend).

To maintain safety during these works, while the crane is in operation, we will need to briefly stop all traffic on the towpath near to the work area. Please allow for delays of up to 2 minutes to your journey.

Please find further details of the works and location on the previous notification here .

Old Oak Common Station Site

We are continuing with our site establishment work at the Old Oak Common Station site. Over the next few months, we will begin preparing for piling and diaphragm wall activity (ground strengthening to support our deep excavation works for the station). Read more about the work here.

Utility Works in the Old Oak Area

We are continuing with the diversion of utilities in the Old Oak area to provide power for the Tunnel Boring Machine to aid with the construction of the HS2 tunnels. Further information on these works can be found here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

Ongoing set up at Willesden Euroterminal

Works are continuing to set up the Willesden Euroterminal site with a variety of tasks to be undertaken through the winter months, with an increase of vehicle activity. For further information please read the notice here .

Night time drainage survey works on 14 and 15 December

Drainage surveys of the Thames Water main sewers around the Victoria Road and Atlas Road roundabout, originally planned on 16 November, will now take place overnight on 14 and 15 December. Further information, please read the notice here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

The second virtual event will be Thursday 3 December, 6pm to 7:30pm to discuss the Victoria Road Crossover Box headhouse, fan buildings and other above ground structures as well as a temporary construction bridge over the Grand Union Canal.

For further information and to book a place please visit our community engagement page here .

During January 2020, we asked for views and ideas on some of the detailed aspects of three of our proposed Common Design Elements (CDEs): parapets, piers and lineside noise barriers.

We received 457 replies and our Survey Response Document summarising these has now been published on our website .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Drone surveys from 23 November

During the week of 23 November, drones will be used to complete surveys of the Old Oak Common station site. The drones will only fly over the station site and will not be photographing any other areas such as residential properties. You can read more here.

Sheet piling works from 30 November

From 30 November sheet piling will take place on the Grand Union Canal embankment between the HS2 Atlas Road and Willesden Euroterminal sites for three weeks. Read more about the work here.

Utility surveys on Scrubs Lane on 2 December

Drainage surveys will take place on Scrubs Lane on 2 December between 8am and 6pm. A temporary lane closure will be put in place for the safety of the team working. Further information can be found here.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

As we first advertised in September , people can sign up to a slot for the next virtual drop-in on 25 November between 3pm and 6pm. After feedback from the first drop-in we have doubled the length of the sessions from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. You can sign up to talk about one of four themes for the drop-in:

For further information about HS2 virtual drop-ins, please visit the community engagement section at www.HS2inOldOak.co.uk.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

As we wrote on on 2 November , HS2 will be running two virtual Microsoft Teams engagement events about our Schedule 17 applications to the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. Our first one will be next Wednesday 18 November, 6pm to 7.30pm about the structures associated with the realignment and lowering of Old Oak Common Lane and an earth embankment on top of the Atlas Road logistics tunnel. For further information and to book a place please visit the webpage here .

Extended working hours at the Flat Iron site

During winter 2020-21 we will continue work to upgrade the vehicle holding area in the Flat Iron site on Victoria Road. From 21 November until late January, we will be extending our weekend working hours at the Flat Iron site to complete these works. Our working hours at this site will be 8am to 6pm on weekdays, 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and 9am to 4pm on Sundays.

For further information please see our works notification .

Works to build the Victoria Road crossover box and ventilation shaft

We are building a crossover box at our site next to the Central line and on the corner of Victoria Road, School Road and Chase Road. From early December, we will start works to build the ventilation shaft. This will be 25 metres wide and about 30 metres deep to connect to the crossover box structure.

For further information please see our works notification .

Update on boundary wall works on Old Oak Common Lane

We will install concrete blocks at the northern end of the boundary wall to protect against further movement. Work will start on Monday 23 November for approximately one week with a northbound lane closure on Old Oak Common Lane to keep the public safe, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Once the first phase is complete, the second phase will require a temporary road closure for night work which will start on Monday 30 November for approximately 9 nights, Monday to Friday from 10pm to 5am.

For further information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act puts a process in place for the approval of certain matters relating to the design and construction of the railway. Please join our virtual events to find out more about our upcoming Schedule 17 applications with the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.

The first one will be Wednesday 18 November, 6pm to 7:30pm to discuss structures associated with the realignment and lowering of Old Oak Common Lane and an earth embankment on top of the Atlas Road logistics tunnel.

The second virtual event will be Thursday 3 December, 6pm to 7:30pm to discuss the Victoria Road Crossover Box headhouse, fan buildings and other above ground structures as well as a temporary construction bridge over the Grand Union Canal.

For further information and to book a place please visit our community engagement page here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Utility works in Atlas Road and Victoria Road

For four weeks starting on 16 November work will take place in Atlas Road to lay the electricity cables that will supply the power for the tunnel boring machines. The work will involve digging trenches to lay cables and install ducts.

During the week of 16 November drainage surveys of Thames Water main sewers will take place at the Atlas Road and Victoria Road roundabout. This work will occur at night with a temporary lane closure and four-way traffic lights. The work will last for around two to three nights.

For further information please read the notice here .

UPDATE: Ground investigations at Old Oak Common Station site

We previously notified about ground investigation at the Old Oak Common Station site starting on 12 October. These works were rescheduled and will now start on 26 October. An updated notice can be found here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Community members can sign up to a slot for the next virtual drop-in on 28 October between 3pm and 6pm. After feedback from the first drop-in we have doubled the length of the sessions from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. You can sign up to talk about one of three themes for the drop-in:

For more information and to sign up, you can go to the Community Engagement section at www.HS2inOldOak.co.uk or sign up here .

Work on Wormwood Scrubs

HS2's station partner, BBVS, need to divert cables and pipes to the north and west of Wormwood Scrubs. They will carry out visual surveys from late October followed by topographical and utility surveys from November onwards. From December to early 2021 they will be setting up a site compound and clearing vegetation. For further information about this work, please read more about it here .

Haul road construction at Old Oak Common Station site

From 26 October, BBVS will begin to construct haul roads on the Old Oak Common Station site. The haul roads will extend from the site entrance on Old Oak Common Lane throughout the entire site to allow construction vehicles to access all areas. Further information can be found here .

Extension of works on Chase Road and Thames Water weekend sewer work on Victoria Road

Further to the notification of 16 July , HS2's early works contractor, CSJV, have to extend the utility diversion work until 13 November.

Thames Water will be undertaking sewer repair work this weekend from Friday 16 October to Sunday 18 October on Victoria Road. It will involve extending the existing lane closure by 50 metres.

For further information about both sets of works, please click here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Our HS2 Helpdesk team is available all day, every day to listen and help with any questions you may have about the project. This is a key part of our commitment to keep you informed while we build the new railway.

So if you want to find out more about where it's going, the opportunities available or any other changes it might bring to your area, you can contact our Helpdesk team on:

In most cases, our Helpdesk team will be able to answer your question straight away, but if they can’t then they'll work with our local teams in your area to respond.

For more information about our Helpdesk and how to get in touch with us, please visit www.hs2.org.uk/helpdesk

To mark the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology , we are holding a series of free online events so you can get involved and find out more about what treasures are being unearthed as we build the country's new high speed railway. The event, now in its 29th year, is being held from October 24 - November 1, shining a light on our past and how our ancestors lived.

If you've ever wondered what an archaeologist does when they’re at work, then or webinar A day in the life of a HS2 Archaeologist on Monday October 26 (12.15 - 12.50pm) is for you!

The session will explore the academic choices and professional job roles which led some of our archaeologists to their careers working on HS2. Hosted by one of our Historic Environment Managers and main works civils contractor CSJV’s Archaeological Lead, this webinar focuses on the careers of Dr Emma Hopla and Dr Emma Tetlow.

They will discuss a typical week in the life of the Archaeological Client and the Archaeological Contractor, as well as some of the exciting discoveries they have made along the way. You will also be able to ask the team questions via a live Q&A chat.

Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page

Our second session, An Introduction to HS2 Archaeology: Staffordshire and Cheshire , highlights how our archaeological works on Phase 2a from Fradley to Crewe, which cross north Staffordshire and East Cheshire, build upon our experiences and discoveries from Phase One, revealing new insights and findings about the history of this landscape.

Led by Chris Jordan, our Historic Environment Manager for Phase 2a, this talk will introduce the heritage along the Phase 2a route, including the influence of the landscape, and discuss what we are trying to discover, how we do it, and what exciting finds we might expect over the next few years.

You will be able to ask Chris and the team questions via a live Q&A chat during the online event which takes place on Tuesday October 27 (12.15 - 12.50pm) .

Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page

Our final webinar focuses on the archaeological works carried out at St Mary's Church in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire.

An Introduction to St Mary's in Stoke Mandeville on Wednesday October 28 (12.15 - 12.50pm) will be led by Guy Hunt, Partner at LP Archaeology, alongside experts from HS2 and Fusion. Guy and the team will explain how the site is a fantastic opportunity for archaeologists to examine and understand a landscape which has been occupied by humans for thousands of years, dating back to the Bronze Age.

The team will be available to answer your questions during a live Q&A chat option.

Please be warned that the presentation will contain images of human remains (skeletons).

Sign up to attend this free online event via our Eventbrite page

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Works to install the small section of hoarding at the junction of Channel Gate Road and Old Oak Lane did not go ahead as planned last weekend due to our Willesden Euroterminal team providing assistance with flooding in the area. The works are now planned to take place this weekend (10 and 11 October) between 8am and 6pm.

Businesses and residents in West London are set to benefit from a new Employment and Skills Hub, funded by HS2. The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) has been successful in its bid to our Business and Local Economy Fund, securing more than £250,000 . The project is being delivered in partnership with London Borough of Brent, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Ealing, West London College and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The hub will help support West London businesses during the current economic situation and beyond, providing stability and growth and helping businesses recruit, retain and develop a local, skilled workforce. It will also help local people gain new skills and access employment opportunities created by local businesses, including OPDC’s and our infrastructure and development projects.

The £255,200 funding award is from the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), part of a combined total of £40million in funding available to local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of Britain’s new high speed railway. This award joins a further 125 other projects which have also benefitted.

The Old Oak and Park Royal area is undergoing an unprecedented transformation ahead of the arrival of our new station and OPDC-led plans to transform the area project that the neighbourhood around the new station could potentially create tens of thousands of homes and jobs.

To construct Phase One of the railway between London and the West Midlands, ourselves and our contractors expect to recruit for around 22,000 roles – many in West London and surrounding areas. There will also be an estimated 400,000 supply chain opportunities for businesses to work on the project. Alongside our contractors, we will work with the new Employment and Skills Hub to support the local workforce and local businesses to make the most of these opportunities.

Community and Business Funds

As construction of HS2 gets underway, applications for the funds are still being welcomed. The Funds for Phase One, independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK, support urban and rural, community, environmental and business projects. Our Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) give local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of HS2 the opportunity to receive funding of up to £1 million for projects to improve their local area or support their local economy.

For more information on Groundwork and the funds, including how to apply, visit https://hs2funds.org.uk/ .You can also watch our short videos which explain how to best demonstrate that your project meets the criteria for the Community, Environment or Business Funds.

If you have any questions about the Community and Business Funds, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Due to safety issues with heavy goods vehicles encroaching into the pedestrian safety zone and mounting the kerb, a full closure of School Road has to take place from 5pm on 1 October 2020 for four weeks. For further information please read the notice here .

We will carry out sheet piling works at the Victoria Crossover box site from 19 October until 18 December 2020. For more information, please see this notification .

We are also carry out ground investigations at the Old Oak station site for about three weeks from 12 October. For more information, please see this notification .

Temporary footpath closure and extension of lane closure north along Old Oak Common Lane and surveys on Atlas Road

From 5 October CSJV and Thames Water will be installing a water main from Old Oak Common Lane into the Old Oak Common HS2 station construction site. This will last for around four weeks. It will involve extending the existing lane closure up to the north of the site entrance.

On the 1 and 2 October CSJV will undertake pavement surveys in Atlas Road to monitor two drainage maintenance holes.

For more information about these works please read the notice here .

Update: Ongoing site set up at Victoria Road construction sites and at Willesden Euroterminal (WET) and changes to manage Channel Gate Road

SCS are finishing changing the hoarding boundary vegetation removal at Victoria Road sites tomorrow on Saturday 26 September .

SCS are continuing maintenance on the current rail infrastructure within the WET site which will be extended to Saturday working from 26 September to 31 October .

The postponed weekend work to install hoarding and gates at Channel Gate Road and Old Oak Lane will now take place on 3 and 4 October .

For more information about these works please read the notice here .

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

Works to install track monitors on 27 and 28 June and 4 and 5 July have been rescheduled to take place overnight this weekend of 26 and 27 September. These works have been rescheduled due to an unforeseen change to the track possessions required to safely carry out these works. We will install the monitors overnight while trains are not using the railway tracks. We will use handheld equipment and head torches to minimise disruption to our neighbours. You can see our previous update about these works here .

After our previous announcement , residents can now sign up to a slot for the first virtual drop-in on 30 September between 4pm and 6pm.

Residents can sign up for a 15 minute slot to talk about one of the two themes for the drop-in; either the setting up of the construction sites at Victoria Road, Willesden Euroterminal site or Atlas Road site, or the planned work at Wormwood Scrubs.

For more information and to sign up, you can go to the Community Engagement section at www.HS2inOldOak.co.uk or sign up here .

September is an exciting time to learn about the mysteries of the past and how our ancestors lived as we host a series of fascinating online archaeology events as part of Heritage Open Days 2020. In addition, a major three-part documentary will be shown on BBC Two from Tuesday, September 15, exploring the discoveries found in Britain’s largest ever archaeological programme.

Before construction work began, and any track is laid, over 1,000 archaeologists, across more than 60 sites between London and the West Midlands, have been carefully uncovering the secrets of Britain’s past. The BBC series, ' HS2 – The Biggest Dig ' will focus on two major cemetery excavations – one adjacent to London’s Euston station and the other in Park Street, next to Birmingham Curzon Street station – the sites of our two new terminals.

For three years, our archaeologists have been giving TV documentary makers, Lion TV, exclusive access to archaeological sites being excavated as part of the project and the series is presented by anthropologist and anatomist Professor Alice Roberts and historian Dr Yasmin Khan.

The BBC series is complemented throughout September with a number of online archaeology webinars to support Heritage Open Days 2020, highlighting some of the exciting finds uncovered along the route of the new railway.

We're holding the following online events (click on the events below to register):

You can find the full list of our online events at www.hs2.org.uk/events .

We will be publishing video recordings of the session online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about each topic through a dedicated playlist on the HS2 YouTube channel .

HS2 - The Biggest Dig will be also be available on BBC iPlayer .

For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

As Covid continues to affect our daily lives, HS2 will start monthly virtual drop-ins for people around Old Oak Common.

Starting on Wednesday 30 September between 4pm and 6pm , people will have the opportunity to book 15 minute slots to talk to key members of staff from our contractors at SCS, CSJV and BBVS about the topic themes online that have been chosen for that virtual drop-in.

We will be using Microsoft Teams which can be downloaded via your app store or Google Play and you can use either a computer, lap top, phone or tablet.

We will be advertising them in the community within the coming week with an information postcard and we will provide further information here on HS2inOldOak.co.uk giving details of the themes for each drop-in soon as well as sign-up details via Eventbrite.

For residents who don't have access to a computer we will provide alternative arrangements.

Dates for the virtual drop-ins are as follows:

Wednesday 30 September 4pm to 6pm

Wednesday 28 October 4pm to 6pm

Wednesday 25 November 4pm to 6pm

Our contractors, SCSJV, were due to install a small section of solid wooden hoarding at the junction of Channel Gate Road and Old Oak Lane this weekend on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September.

This work is POSTPONED and will not take place this weekend. We will let you know of the new date when the work has been rescheduled.

Before we build bridges, tunnels, tracks and stations, the largest archaeology programme ever undertaken in the UK is taking place along the line of route. Our archaeology programme is continuing to unearth discoveries across our sites.

To share information about these works and some of the exciting finds uncovered we are running a series of online archaeology events to support Heritage Open Days 2020.

We're holding the following online events for Heritage Open Days 2020 (click on the events below to register):

You can find the full list of our online events here .

We will be publishing video recordings of the session online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about each topic through a dedicated playlist on the HS2 YouTube channel .

For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

The work currently taking place on School Lane will mean some changes to the traffic management scheme will be put into place from 4 September. Please read more about it here

During September, we will be carrying out surveys between Park Royal and Westgate. Our surveyors will be using the footpath or grass verge along the route shown on the maps on the works notification. They will use equipment mounted on a tripod to survey the ground levels.

The footpaths along the survey route will remain open at all times.

For more information please see our works notification.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Update: School Road Closure extended to 3 September – Utilities diversion works

Our contractors, CSJV, are continuing the utilities diversion works on School Road. During the excavation, unknown and unmarked services were discovered which need to be investigated to check if they are live assets. In order to complete the work safely CSJV are changing the methods of working. As a result, they require more time to complete the works.

CSJV will be working two additional weekends works on Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 and Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 August 2020 , to allow them to safely complete the utilities diversion on School Road. The working hours will be 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and 9am to 6pm on Sundays .

The current traffic management and parking bays suspension will remain in place, and access to businesses will be maintained. Please note pedestrians will be unaffected from these works.

Further to the notification of 16 July, the previous notification of the utilities diversion works can be found in the following link. Please read the notice here .

Notice of site office and welfare delivery at Old Oak Common station site week of 7 September

During the week of 7 September, a two storey site office and welfare block will be delivered and fitted into place at the Old Oak Common station site. For more information about the delivery and setting up of the office, please read the notice here .

Update: vegetation clearance and hoarding changes at Victoria Road sites

Set up work continues at both the sites at Victoria Road, including vegetation clearance for around four weeks from late August. At the Crossover Box site the worksite hoarding will be moved to run alongside the Network Rail boundary line. For further information, you can read the notice here.

Update: changes to manage Channel Gate Road

Our contractors, SCS, will start work to install the pedestrian crossing at Goodhall Street and install a two metre high mesh fence along the road and around the green areas. Residents wishing to access the green areas will need to have an agreement in place with HS2.

Over the weekend of 5 and 6 September they will install a small section of 2.4 metre wooden hoarding and gate at the junction with Old Oak Lane. For more information about this you can read the notice here .

The construction of our West London interchange station, set to be the UK’s largest newly-built railway station, has reached a new milestone.

Station Construction Partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA joint venture (BBVS), took possession of the site, marking the start of the next phase of work at Old Oak Common, where a brand new 14 platform high-speed station will be built.

Our Enabling Works Contractor, Costain Skanska JV, have been clearing the site for over two years, making it ready for the new station to be built. BBVS were appointed our construction partner for Old Oak Common in September 2019 and have worked closely with us on the programme of works. When operational, the station will be used by up to an estimated 250,000 passengers each day and is set to become one of the busiest in the UK. It will provide connections with rail services through eight conventional train platforms, served by the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), Heathrow Express and trains to Wales and the West of England.

Initial works will include piling for the foundations of the new station, while the team will work closely with WSP, responsible for the design development of the station, on some striking features, such as a sequence of interlocking curved roof forms. These are designed to enhance the open environment of the station and provide natural ventilation, minimising the need for long-term energy consumption. In May 2020, the station received planning approval based on the designs submitted to the local planning authority, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).

Work has already begun to appoint subcontractor, including for piling and diaphragm wall construction, while the contract for ground reduction at the site has been awarded to specialist subcontractor McGee. A total of £350m of work will be available over the next two years and opportunities will be advertised on the CompeteFor web portal by BBVS and their subcontractors. BBVS will employ a workforce of approximately 1,400 to support the construction of Old Oak Common Station. As well as providing over 250 apprenticeship positions, the joint venture is committed to attracting local candidates, of all ages and backgrounds.

The HS2 station will be a catalyst and gateway for Old Oak and Park Royal, one of the largest regeneration sites in the country. Plans to transform the area are being led by the OPDC and they project that the area around the new HS2 station will become a neighbourhood with the potential to create tens of thousands of homes and jobs.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

The existing train maintenance depot at Old Oak Common is being decommissioned to make way for the new station.

Over the coming months, Network Rail will be installing cabinets that contain power and control systems along with installing a secure walkway for train driver access.

These works will take place between 4 August to 29 November 2020 and will be a combination of both day and night work. For more information about these works, please click here.

We are working closely with our construction partners to review the works on all our construction sites in line with Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice on dealing with Covid-19. The Government’s current Covid-19 strategy makes clear that construction activity can continue as long as it complies with this guidance, which you can see by clicking here .

The below works are going ahead as our contractors are confident that they can operate in line with PHE and industry guidance, protecting our staff and the communities in which they are working.

Station hand over to BBVS

On 27 July our Old Oak Common Station construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA (BBVS) joint venture will take full possession of the site from our enabling contractor, CSJV. for more information, please read the notice that has been delivered locally here .

Utility works update

Further to our notification of 3 July, CSJV will be continuing the existing utility diversion works along Victoria Road, Bethune Road, School Road, Chase Road and St Leonards. Phase one of the lane closure on Victoria Road is currently underway and will complete on 28 October 2020.

For more information, please read the notice here .

Old Oak Common Lane

Further to our notification of 17 April, work is continuing at our Old Oak Common station site.

On Saturday 4 July 2020 British Telecom (BT) will be replacing some maintenance hole covers in our site entrance, which will require a footpath diversion whilst carrying out the works, on Old Oak Common Lane.

A copy of the notification to be delivered to the community can be found here.

Victoria Road Utilities Works

Further to our notification of 14 March, we will be carrying out utility works on Victoria Road commencing on Monday 6 July. A copy of the notice delivered to residents and businesses can be found here.

Wells House Road

We be will replacing the heras fence previously installed at the top of the staircase adjacent to Wells House Road with a timber hoarding commencing on Wednesday 15 July. A copy of the notice to be delivered to residents can be found here.

HS2 will provide opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes.  As part of being a good neighbour, we are keen that local companies along the line of the new high speed railway are able to make the most of the benefits the Project will bring, and get involved in the supply chain wherever they can.

HS2 Ltd are running a series of webinars that aim to help local businesses navigate the HS2 supply chain and better understand some of the things that we are looking for from suppliers.  At each event, you will hear from a different expert speaker, and also be able to take part in a Q&A session.

We will be publishing video recordings of each webinar online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn how to get your business 'HS2 ready' through on our HS2 YouTube channel. You can find out more information about HS2's local business opportunities here . For more information about this event or any of our forthcoming events please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Communities and businesses located near to Britain’s new railway are invited to a webinar on Thursday 25 June at 13:00 to find out more about the funding schemes and local business opportunities available.

Up and down the line of route, over 100 projects have already received funding through the HS2 community and business funds, while over 1,000 local businesses are already working on the project, providing goods and services to help build Britain’s new railway. 

If your business or community is  near to the line of route between the West Midland and London  and you want to find out more about the funding programme and local business opportunities available through HS2, please sign up to our event below. 

We will be publishing video recordings of each webinar online, so if you are not able to listen live you can still learn about the funding and business opportunities available through on our HS2 YouTube channel.

You can find out more information about the HS2 Community Funds here  and  local business opportunities here .For more information about this event or any of our forthcoming events please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on  08081 434 434  or email  hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Further to our update of 27 February which can be found here the carrying out of vegetation clearance along two sections of the Grand Union Canal was postponed from 11 March. The work will now commence on Tuesday 9 June. A copy of the notice delivered to residents can be found here .

The funds will be used to make improvements to the Paccar County Campsite in Chalfont St Peter which is open to all organised youth groups and serves 45,000 young people from across Buckinghamshire and West London each year. The improvements will include a new state-of-the-art climbing facility to suit a wide range of abilities, replacing the existing dilapidated climbing wall at the campsite. This comes at an exciting time as climbing will be a new sport in the now postponed Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. An artificial caving complex will also be built under the wall which will be used to provide a realistic, challenging and safe experience of caving for young people who use the campsite. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2021.

The funding has come from the HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF), part of a combined total of £40million in funding available to local communities and businesses that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of Britain’s new high speed railway between London and the West Midlands. The project will join the other 113 projects along the route that have also benefitted.

A series of videos and case studies about projects that have received HS2 funds can be found here.

The independent administration of these funds is managed on behalf of HS2 Ltd by the charity Groundwork who will ensure both funds remain available for applications throughout the construction of Phase One. Read the Groundwork annual review.

Community and business groups interested in applying for the fund can find out more at www.hs2funds.org.uk

Pupils at Meadow High School in Hillingdon have suggested a name for one of the first of 10 giant tunnel boring machines (TBMs) which has been shortlisted for a national vote launched by HS2 Ltd. The TBMs will excavate more than 35 miles of tunnel on the first phase the UK’s new high speed railway between London and the West Midlands.

The public is being invited to go to https://www.hs2.org.uk/tbmvoting/ and vote for their favourite name, from a shortlist of three chosen by local school children and inspired by female scientific and medical pioneers.

The names are:

The name with the most votes will be given to the first TBM, due to be launched from a site close to the M25 early next year. The enormous, 2,000 tonne, 170m long machine will be one of two that will dig the 10 mile long Chiltern tunnels.

The second machine, due to be launched a month later, will be given the second most popular name in the public vote.

The TBMs will be operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align JV – a joint venture formed of three companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick.

The machines are being built by Herrenknecht in Germany. Their names are being chosen now so they can be fixed to machines during their manufacture, ready for when they emerge out of the factory.

After completion the first two machines will be disassembled before beginning their long journey to England. Once they have arrived on site, each TBM will be reassembled, ready to begin their life underground.

Together the TBMs will spend around three years digging what will be the longest and deepest tunnels on the project, stretching from just inside the M25, to South Heath in Buckinghamshire.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .

Drainage surveys planned on Bideford Avenue in late-March have now been rescheduled to take place overnight on 3 and 4 June. Traffic management and parking bay suspensions will be in place overnight to protect staff carrying out the surveys. You can read more about it here .

We are working closely with our construction partners to review the works on all our construction sites in line with Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice on dealing with Covid-19. The Government’s current Covid-19 strategy makes clear that construction activity can continue as long as it complies with this guidance, which you can see by clicking here .

The below works are going ahead as our contractors are confident that they can operate in line with PHE and industry guidance, protecting our staff and the communities in which they are working.

Ongoing works at Atlas Road, Victoria Road and Willesden Euroterminal sites

Work continues through June setting up the three sites consisting of a variety of different things such as concrete removal, vegetation clearance, ground investigations and more. You can find out more of what is happening at each site here .

Along with these set up works, monitoring equipment will be installed on sections of the existing railway near our Atlas Road site. The monitors will be fitted over three different weekends. More information can be found here.

We have published the fourth public report that documents our progress towards being a good neighbour by putting engagement with communities at the heart of everything we do.

This report covers the six-month period from July to December 2019, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the second half of the year, along with currently available data such as from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events we have held.

We will continue to publish these reports on a regular basis.

The report is available to view and download here .

A collection of all our reports to date can be found here .

If you have any questions about the report, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .