HS2 will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for flights, and help fight climate change. Here are some of the facts behind the false information being spread by some groups online. 1/6
Of England's 52,000 ancient woodland sites only 43 will be touched by HS2’s London - Crewe route. Over 80% of the total area of these 43 will remain completely intact. Figures claiming the total loss of 108 Ancient Woodlands are simply not true. hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/e…
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We're creating over 33 square kilometres of new and existing wildlife habitat, an area the size of 4,600 football pitches. An increase of around 30% compared to what’s there now. We'll plant 7 million trees and shrubs, including 40 native species, specific to each location. 3/6
We are also putting tailored mitigation plans in place for protected species. Including new wetland and ponds, new areas of planting to encourage rare butterflies and new native woodland planting to link up and enhance ancient woodland. hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/e…
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The carbon footprint of 120 years of HS2 Phase One, including construction & operation, will be less than one month’s UK road transport emissions. Carbon emissions per passenger km on HS2 is 7 times less than passenger cars and 17 times less than domestic air travel.
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All leading environment groups agree that climate change is the biggest future threat to the UK. HS2 will help fight climate change. We’d urge all green groups to help us in getting people out of their cars, off planes and onto low-carbon rail. hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/e…
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Challenge the lie that HS2 will destroy 108 woodlands. To support 500,000 UK jobs and deliver a low carbon, high capacity, better connected transformation of our railways, there are some upfront limited impacts. But let’s look at how limited they are:
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England has 52,000 ancient woodland sites. 43 are affected by HS2 between London and Crewe, of which over 80% will remain intact.
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If an ancient woodland is described as affected, in many cases this means a small section of it is affected. On Phase One, 32 are described as affected. Through careful design and environmental consideration less than 0.29 square kilometres of them will be lost.
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HS2 respects the right to peaceful, lawful protest. However, we must correct the incorrect and misleading information about the #HS2 project, such as false claims that entire woodlands are being destroyed.
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HS2 is very conscious of its impact in building the new railway and takes its responsibilities very seriously, employing world leading ecologists delivering many miles of ecological and landscape investments.
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The UK, in particular the Midlands and North, need this vital investment to bring more job opportunities and better connect towns and cities, as well as help decarbonise our transport network. We are committed to delivering the greenest major project ever delivered in the UK.
There is a huge amount of false and misleading information about #HS2 on social media. Below is a myth buster thread which corrects some of the most repeated misconceptions about the project…
Myth 1: ‘HS2 only saves 20 minutes to #Birmingham’. FACT: #HS2 services will call at 25 stations in England and Scotland connecting 30 million people. It also frees up space on the existing network for more frequent stopping local services benefiting those who may never use HS2.
HS2’s budget is spread over 30 years and evens out at less than the annual roads budget. We will support 30,000 jobs at least 2,000 of which will be apprenticeships. The arrival of #HS2 is spearheading economic growth and is expected to create nearly 500,000 jobs around stations.
HS2 is Britain’s biggest environment project, delivering miles of ecological and landscape investments alongside construction. On #WorldEnvironmentDay, find out more about the huge scale of environment work and the benefits #fornature. gapi.io/6rDW
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HS2’s already created over 60 new #wildlife habitats. Grassland, ponds, and plantings now support reptiles, badgers, birds, and bats. At Finham Brook in #Warks six new ponds benefit great crested newts amid 6,200 new trees. #WorldEnvironmentDay
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HS2’s also planting 7 million #trees and shrubs between #London and #Birmingham alone. Over 40 species are being grown by Crowders Nurseries, a family run #SME in #Lincs. We’ve already planted 350,000 of them. #WorldEnvironmentDay
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“HS2 is just 20 minutes quicker to #Birmingham” is a well-trodden myth. #HS2 will transform the UK with the 3Cs: More CAPACITY across the country’s #rail network. A low CARBON #transport network. Better CONNECTIVITY in the #Midlands and #North.
Capacity: #HS2 will add vital capacity to our overcrowded #rail network by placing long distance services on their own pair of tracks. This will create thousands of extra seats and space for more local, commuter and #freight services on the existing #railway.
Carbon: #Rail is the low carbon option for long distance travel, with #HS2 taking cars and lorries off the road. HS2 emits 17 times less carbon than the equivalent domestic flight and 7 times less carbon than the equivalent car journey.
.@transportgovuk has approved HS2 to issue Notice to Proceed (NtP) to our main civils contractors. It's a major boost to the construction sector, securing and creating thousands of jobs, particularly for small & medium sizes businesses across the UK gapi.io/6QhE 1/4
The issuing of NtP marks the point when our main contractors transitions from preparatory work, to full detailed design work, construction (within Public Health England guidelines) and importantly placing 1000s of sub-contracts to UK businesses.
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“In these difficult times, today’s announcement represents both an immediate boost to the construction industry - and the many millions of UK jobs that the industry supports - and an important investment in Britain’s future.” Mark Thurston CEO of HS2 Ltd.
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