June 2018 | www.hs2.org.uk In your area Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam | MA02 MA02 to Manchester and Wigan High Speed Two (HS2) is A556 Lostock Gralam Marston the Government’s planned Plumley A559 new high speed railway. Northwich High Speed Two Limited Lostock Green RUDHEATH is the company responsible for developing and A556 Lach Dennis promoting the UK’s new Davenham A530 high speed rail network. In July 2017, the Government Moulton Byley Bostock confi rmed the route for A533 Green the next phase of HS2: Crewe – Manchester and Stanthorne A54 West Midlands – Leeds Sproston Winsford Green (Phase 2b). A54 Middlewich A533 HS2 Phase 2b A530 Wimboldsley N to Birmingham Introduction This information has been produced by HS2 Ltd to update you about the route from Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam. It includes: • a summary of the proposed route in your area and how the design has developed since July 2017; • what we are currently working on and what we will be consulting on later in the year; • the benefi ts that HS2 will bring to your area; • how to fi nd out more about the project; and • how to get in touch with us. Page 1 of 8 The route of the proposed scheme from Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam The Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam community area covers approximately 14.5km beginning at the boundary of the parishes of Minshull Vernon and Stanthorne & Wimboldsley. The line departs from the West Coast Main Line here and travels to the west of the A530, before crossing the Shropshire Union Canal to pass between the towns of Middlewich and Winsford. The line then crosses the River Dane and the Trent & Mersey Canal before crossing the A530 again at Rudheath. It then broadly follows the line of the existing A556 passing the villages of Lostock Green and Lostock Gralam. A rolling stock depot (RSD) is proposed at Wimboldsley. It would be used for cleaning, maintaining and overnight storage of the trains and carriages. Buildings would include a maintenance shed, a By improving the carriage washing plant, as well as offices and crew facilities. connectivity between our The line in this section is almost entirely above ground level and major population centres, characterised by a combination of embankments and viaducts. HS2 will give businesses A small tunnel (approximately 160m) will be built near Middlewich access to the skills, labour to allow trains to access the depot. and services they need A series of viaducts will take the high speed line over the River Dane to change the economic and the Trent & Mersey Canal (approximately 1120m in length), geography of the country. over Whatcroft Lane, Puddinglake Brook and Trent & Mersey Canal David Higgins (approximately 145m), over Gad Brook floodplain (approximately Chairman of HS2 Ltd 340m) and over Wade Brook (approximately 295m). Design development Since the community information events in September 2017, we have continued to develop our design for the railway, which will be included in the working draft Environmental Statement that you will have an opportunity to give feedback on later this year. We have also produced detailed maps showing the evolving design that includes construction compounds, road realignments and public rights of way. These show our work in progress and are likely to be refined or changed before we publish them as part of a consultation later in the year. To view the maps, please visit www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/building-the-line/phase-2b/mid- 2018-information-events. Following feedback expressed by communities and local authorities, we have reduced the overall height of the access from the HS2 mainline into the RSD at Wimboldsley, and generally reducing the embankment heights along the route in this area. The design of the RSD is still evolving and we are currently working through the maintenance and operations strategy which will inform the final design. Autotransformer stations, which are pieces of infrastructure needed to power the railway, are proposed for sites near Occlestone Green, Bank Farm and Crowder’s Lane. Page 2 of 8 Transport for the North and Midlands Connect We are working with Transport for the North and Midlands Connect to consider how HS2 can help further improve connectivity, and the Government is currently considering whether additional connections should be included in the Phase 2b scheme. Once the Government has decided how this work should be taken forward, we will explain what this means for the design of the Phase 2b route. Environmental Impact Assessment As part of the development of the Phase 2b proposed scheme, we are carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment that will identify the likely significant effects of the construction and operation of the railway and the means to reduce or avoid such National College effects. This will be reported in our Environmental Statement, for High Speed Rail which will accompany the hybrid Bill that we expect to deposit in The newly opened National Parliament in late 2019. College for High Speed For the purposes of reporting the findings of the Environmental Rail will play a key role in Impact Assessment the Phase 2b route has been divided into 26 generating the workforce ‘community areas’, of which Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam is one of the future, designing (reference MA02). The working draft and formal Environmental and building the UK’s new Statement will have a detailed report for each community area. high speed rail network This will include an assessment of the local environment and likely and future infrastructure significant effects of the proposed scheme, suggested methods projects including HS2. of reducing or avoiding those effects, and the proposals for With state-of-the-art monitoring our impact during construction and operation. facilities in Birmingham As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process, we and Doncaster, the are carrying out surveys to better understand the current local college offers courses environment including noise conditions and ecology. We have also and apprenticeships in been engaging with local authorities, parish councils and other all elements of the rail statutory bodies to collect information and local knowledge. industry whether leaving More information about our survey work can be found online at: school, wanting to up- www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-guide-to-environmental- skill, or take a new career surveys-being-carried-out-by-hs2 direction. HS2 alone is Future consultations set to create 25,000 new HS2 Ltd is aware of the ground conditions in this community area jobs, including 2,000 and the historical and ongoing mining activity that takes place here. apprenticeships, and We will build upon our existing knowledge with extensive ground careers in this industry investigations to ensure our design takes account of the situation are set to become more below ground. and more sought after. Later in the year, we will consult on a working draft of the If you would like further Environmental Statement. This will be an opportunity to see and information, or to apply, comment on our work in progress. Parliament does not require visit the college website us to consult on a draft of the document; however we believe it is important for communities and stakeholders to have a formal www.nchsr.ac.uk/ opportunity, to understand the progress of our work and provide call the college on feedback at this stage. 0330 120 0375 or email on [email protected] This will also be accompanied by the working draft Equality Impact Assessment, which identifies people with protected characteristics that may be disproportionately affected and any action that may Page 3 of 8 This map shows the Pickmere route of HS2 through the to community area, however, owing to the scale we have Agden and Hulseheath not included emerging MA03 design details. To see more detailed maps, please visit www.hs2.org.uk/ building-hs2/building-the- line/phase-2b/mid-2018- information-events. Please note: These maps are based on our emerging design and may Wimboldsley change as we continue to to refine the design, complete environmental Lostock Gralam assessments and take MA02 into consideration further feedback. Crewe North Rolling Stock Deport t Hough to Walley’s Green MA01 Wimboldsley to Lostock Gralam be necessary to limit such effects. Feedback to these consultations will be considered in the development of the proposed scheme presented to Parliament. The benefits of HS2 in your region • HS2 will offer faster, more frequent and more reliable travel between cities and areas of the UK and will increase capacity on our congested railways. • With journey times from Warrington to London cut to just over an hour, HS2 represents a significant uplift in connectivity for the three million people who live within 30 minutes’ drive of Warrington. This is the largest workforce catchment in the UK Factsheets outside of London and Warrington has been working to ensure HS2 is integrated in its plans for economic growth. HS2 Ltd has published factsheets that explain • HS2 will allow businesses across the North West to collaborate with supply chains and research partners, draw on a deeper pool how we intend to manage of skills, access new sources of finance and support networks, areas of concern and and secure new customers in regions across Britain. minimise impacts on the environment. • Over 75 companies in the North West have already been awarded work on HS2, either directly or through its supply chain, and HS2 These factsheets Ltd has engaged with more than 400 businesses in the North can be found online at: West on potential opportunities. www.hs2.org.uk/building- • Around 50 businesses from across the North West, 69% of which hs2/building-the-line/ are SMEs, met with HS2’s direct contractors at their largest supply phase-2b/mid-2018- chain engagement event to date in May 2018.