Questions and Answers Works at

Version 2: March 2021 | www.hs2.org.uk

High Speed Two (HS2) is the new high speed railway for Britain.

We have produced this document to try and answer the most commonly asked questions we have had from members of the community.

Some people have asked specific ecological questions and we have gathered all of these into an appendix section on page 9. Virtual one-to-ones Please note that HS2 is working with the Borough of and to look at the option of an alternative route via Lane to be used both the These surgery style under track utility diversion work and sewer diversion work site. virtual one-to-ones are an opportunity for you

to find out more about 1. I’m not too clear what’s happening by HS2 on HS2 overall, what it Wormwood Scrubs, can you explain in detail means for the local area please? and have your questions To help build the new HS2 Old Oak Common railway station, answered. our construction partner, BBVS, will have to move utilities and a sewer. To facilitate this, they will divert the cables and sewer Wednesday 24 February through Wormwood Scrubs. Wednesday 24 March A lot of the work will be completed by late 2021, but some will Wednesday 28 April continue until 2024. It will consist of: Wednesday 26 May • Under Track Crossing utility diversion – BBVS will divert the utility cables under the existing Great Western All between 3pm to 6pm mainline railway in the west corner of the scrubs. This using Microsoft Teams diversion is needed to allow us to lower Old Oak Common Lane that is planned in the future. Please book a slot at • Sewer diversion – BBVS will be diverting an existing large www.hs2.org.uk/events/ sewer (Stamford Brook sewer) from the Old Oak Common Station site to the northern part of Wormwood Scrubs. This needs to happen to dig out the foundations of the station. You can find out more about what’s taking place by reading the notice that has been distributed to the local community here.

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This notice was the first of many pieces of information that we send to the community. Further notices will provide more details over the coming weeks as well as here online. Utility diversion site: This work site is found in the far north west of the Scrubs (site B on the map below) close to Old Oak Common Lane and access will be gained for work vehicles from Old Oak Common Lane from January 2021 and will continue until 2024. This will involve pipe jacking- a method of tunnelling- which will take place 24/7 during 2021. Sewer diversion site: This site is found to the north of the Scrubs close to the existing railway lines (site A on the map below) and access will now be gained for work vehicles from Old Oak Common Lane with work taking place to the end of 2021. This will also involve pipe jacking- a method of tunnelling- which will take place 24/7 during for approximately one month in 2021.

2. What is the Sewer? The Stamford Brook is one of London’s “lost” rivers, formed of three streams, one of which is from Acton and Old Oak Common/Wormword Scrubs coming together in area, crossing King Street in Hammersmith before discharging into the Thames at Furnivall Gardens. By 1900 construction took place across the scrubs to cover the brook and to turn it into a sewer.

3. What is pipe jacking?

Pipe jacking, or microtunnelling, is a technique for installing underground pipelines, ducts and culverts. Powerful hydraulic jacks are used to push specially designed pipes through the ground behind a shield at the same time as excavation is taking place within the shield. The method provides a flexible, structural, watertight, finished pipeline as the tunnel is excavated.

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4. You were accessing the sewer worksite from Braybrook Street. Is that still happening?

HS2 have been working closely with both Hammersmith & Fulham and Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) on developing the access route for the sewer diversion work. The council had a planning application for an alternative access to both worksites via Old Oak Common Lane and therefore not use the route from Braybrook Street. This application has been approved by the OPDC.

Following this decision, we will now work to create accesses to the two worksites on Wormwood Scrubs via Old Oak Common Lane (the turquoise routes shown below). While this access route is being created, we will continue to access the sites via the existing maintenance access route off Braybrook Street as agreed with Hammersmith & Fulham.

5. Will there be opportunities to engage with HS2 about the work taking place at Wormwood Scrubs? Yes. This will consist of virtual community meetings as well as written information to be delivered to local communities.

HS2 also hold monthly virtual one-to-ones that have been arranged to discuss more general issues affecting communities and individuals in the Old Oak Common area. HS2 is committed to keeping communities informed about its works. 6. Will HS2 arrange on site meetings with people?

Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, HS2 have currently suspended face-to-face resident engagement meetings. This is continuously reassessed in line with Government guidance.

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7. I didn’t get an HS2 notice through my door. Why was I missed out?

We hand deliver our local notices and use tracking technology that shows that all properties have been delivered to the distribution area. If you think you haven’t received a notice but your neighbour has, please get in touch with us and we’ll make sure you get a copy.

8. Is any compensation available for loss/reduction in property value as a result of the works?

HS2 run a number of compensation schemes, details of these can be found here; https://www.hs2.org.uk/documents/claim-compensation-property-affected-hs2/. Our contractors adhere to the Construction Code of Conduct and as such seek to mitigate the impact they have on the community by a variety of means such as sound barriers, working between 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm Saturdays except where tunnelling is concerned, and noise insulating panels around generators. However, there is no provision within the code for compensation for short term impact of construction.

9. What trees are being removed?

The green hatched areas on the map below indicate the work sites and where trees, brambles, scrub and grassland will be cut back in preparation for worksite activity. Our ecologists compiled pre-work inspections of the site areas and the existing maintenance route off Braybrook Street in advance of the works starting. All work is carried out under a watching brief by an ecologist. Vegetation such as scrub and trees are removed initially, outside of bird nesting season as much as possible. In areas where reptiles are likely to be present, vegetation will be removed in stages to allow any reptiles present to move away from the work areas into suitable adjacent habitat. Removal of features suitable for hibernating reptiles will be left until later in the year when reptiles are no longer hibernating before being cleared to ground level.

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10. How will trees that have been removed be replaced?

A restoration scheme will be agreed with Hammersmith & Fulham as part of their wider ecological enhancement plans for Wormwood Scrubs. This scheme will take into account any vegetation lost due to the works, including trees.

11. How will HS2 achieve no net less in biodiversity?

HS2 seeks to achieve No Net Loss (NNL) for the project as a whole. To help achieve this, each of our contractors and individual work areas is challenged to achieve NNL for their aspects of works. The works on Wormwood Scrubs is no exception and we are working with Hammersmith & Fulham to design a restoration scheme that reinstates grassland, scrub and woodland, achieving NNL.

12. Is there an up-to-date ecological survey?

Further surveys have been undertaken on behalf of HS2 and Hammersmith & Fulham since the surveys that informed the HS2 Environmental Statements. These include surveys independently commissioned by Hammersmith and Fulham, carried out by the London Wildlife Trust. A review of these recent reports were undertaken in June 2020 on behalf of BBVS as part of an ecological and arboricultural gap analysis exercise and have been deemed up-to-date and suitable for use. These surveys have enabled us to confirm that the findings of the original surveys are still correct. No changes have been noted and impacts remain in line with the Environmental Statement findings.

It is recognised that Wormwood Scrubs supports a range of protected species and as such the works will be carefully timed and managed to avoid and reduce the impacts to these species. All vegetation clearance will be supervised by an Ecological Clerk of Works to ensure that the works are carried out in a sensitive manner and following methodologies as set out in the HS2 ecology technical standards.

13. Will the sewer diversion overload existing sewers and cause flooding with contaminated foul water into Wormwood Scrubs?

These works are to change the alignment of the existing sewer. No additional waters are being diverted into the existing infrastructure.

HS2 and its contractors apply for and hold discharge permits for any surface water that we wish to discharge from any of our construction sites. These permits are reviewed and granted by Thames Water.

Thames water have confirmed that there is capacity in the network to accommodate the new HS2 rail station.

14. How long can we expect 24-hour work with pipe jacking?

For the sewer works, pipe jacking will take place 24 hours, seven days a week for approximately one month.

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For the under-track crossing works, 24 hours, seven days a week pipe jacking is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

15. Will you be offering to cover the cost of noise installation to mitigate the impact?

The works have been assessed and are not predicted to trigger noise insulation. As such, residential properties will not be eligible for noise insulation in connection with these works, under the HS2 noise insulation policy.

The eligibility and provision of noise insulation is detailed in HS2 Information Paper E23 (Appendix B). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmen t_data/file/672398/E23_-_Control_of_construction_noise_and_vibration_v1.7.pdf

16. According to the AP4 plans from 2015 the site will require access for upwards of ten heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) per day - is this still planned? If so, what route will they take?

A maximum of 24 HGV vehicles are anticipated per day (this includes vehicles arriving and leaving the site area). This is compliant with the Environmental Statement (AP4). The vehicles will access the site off Old Oak Common Lane via Wulfstan Street and Braybrook Street under the AP4 plans.

17. What types of work vehicles will be accessing the sites and during what hours?

HGVs are deemed to be greater than 7.5 tonnes. Additional smaller vehicles will also come and go from the site.

Vehicles will be accessing both worksites via Old Oak Common Lane. The working hours are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm Saturdays. This is compliant with the Code of Construction Practice.

Some out of hours vehicle movements may occur during the one month period of the 24 hour, seven days a week pipe-jacking activity, although this will be limited and material will be stored on site and removed during normal working hours where possible.

18. What consultation and engagement has taken place so far?

Consultation about the proposed works on Wormwood Scrubs was undertaken during the Hybrid Bill passage in parliament and details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-provision-4-october-2015-plans- and-sections

Pages 12 and 22 of the AP4 document show the proposed layout of the works on Wormwood Scrubs).

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Engagement has since continued with a local resident drop-in that was held on a monthly basis at the Old Oak Common Community Centre in Braybrook Street. These drop-ins were suspended in March 2020 due to Covid-19.

These engagement events were moved online from Autumn 2020 onwards and the drop-in events in late September 2020 featured engagement on the proposed activity on Wormwood Scrubs and are advertised on both www.hs2inoldoak.co.uk and www.HS2.org.uk

A recent information sheet was distributed to over 1500 homes intended to provide a high level overview of the works we plan to carry out in addition to advising them of the overall programme of activity.

Continued engagement will take place through information sheets delivered to local communities as well as online at www.hs2inoldoak.co.uk and www.hs2.org.uk

19. Why were the vehicles associated with these works not included on the recent Schedule 17 Lorry Routes Approval?

As these sites are not accessed from the main station they fall outside the main Schedule 17 Lorry Routes submission

20. What are the details of the access road? How will it be constructed and what will it look like?

We will be digging up some topsoil along the access road route, to make the area level, and then laying crushed concrete called Type 1 material. The access road will be segregated for safety, with two pedestrian crossing points for users of the Scrubs.

21. Where will excavated earth be stored?

Topsoil and subsoils will be stored on site and reinstated in accordance with DEFRA ‘Construction Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites – September 2009’.

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Keeping you informed We are committed to keeping you informed about work on HS2. This includes ensuring you know what to expect and when to expect it, as well as how we can help. Residents’ Charter and Commissioner The Residents’ Charter is our promise to Contact Us communicate as clearly as we possibly can with people who live along or near the HS2 route. Contact our HS2 Helpdesk team all day,

www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-residents- every day of the year on: charter We also have an independent Residents’ Freephone 08081 434 434 Commissioner whose job is to make sure we keep to the promises we make in the Charter and to keep it Minicom 08081 456 472 under constant review. Find reports at: Email [email protected] www.gov.uk/government/collections/hs2-ltd- residents-commissioner Write to: You can contact the Commissioner at: FREEPOST [email protected] HS2 Community Engagement

Construction Commissioner Website www.hs2.org.uk The Construction Commissioner’s role is to mediate and monitor the way in which HS2 Ltd manages and To keep up to date with what is responds to construction complaints. You can contact happening in your local area, visit: the Construction Commissioner by emailing: www.HS2inyourarea.co.uk [email protected]

Property and compensation You can find out all about HS2 and properties along Please contact us if you’d like a free copy the line of route by visiting: of this document in large print, Braille, www.gov.uk/government/collections/hs2-property audio or easy read. You can also contact Find out if you’re eligible for compensation at: us for help and information in a different www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-if-affected-by-hs2 language. HS2 Ltd is committed to protecting personal Holding us to account information. If you wish to know more about If you are unhappy for any reason you can make a how we use your personal information complaint by contacting our HS2 Helpdesk team. For please see our Privacy Notice more details on our complaints process, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publication our website: s/high-speed-two-ltd-privacy-notice www.hs2.org.uk/how-to-complain

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