Environmental services for UK high speed rail
Feb 2012
TunnelTalk reporting
- Arup has been appointed to provide Environmental Overview Services for the UK's proposed HS2 high-speed rail line from London to the West Midlands.
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HS2 masterplan for the UK
- The £7 million contract is the first to be awarded by the client, HS2 Ltd, under Lot 3 - Environmental Services of its Professional Services Framework.
- Arup, supported by sub-consultant URS Scott Wilson, will coordinate the work of the environmental companies appointed to the four remaining contracts of Lot 3, which are for the Environmental Impact Assessments.
- In this role the company and its team partner will provide the technical leadership and oversight in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessments which will include studies of the impact of the project to:
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• the natural environment, encompassing biodiversity, water resources, geology and visual impact;
• the historic environment of built heritage and archaeology;
• the built environment of townscape, traffic and transport, waste and resources and planning policy; and
• the community in reference to noise, air quality, community services, property and agriculture. - Reporting to HS2 Ltd, Arup will produce the Environmental Statement, which will form part of the hybrid bill documentation for the project's Parliamentary approval process.
- The contract began on 13 February, 2011 and will continue up to planned deposit of the hybrid bill by the end of 2013.
- In January this year (2011) the UK Government sanctioned go-ahead of the £32 billion first phase of the project for the route from London north to Birmingham and appointed CM2M Hill and its recent acquisition of Halcrow, as its Delivery Partner. Of the 140-mile route of Phase 1 some 22.5 miles will be in tunnel.
- Arup planned the alignments for Phase 1 and is also one of seven consultants currently shortlisted for detailed design contracts for the line's construction.
- Rapid award of these initial contracts so soon after UK Government go-ahead for the scheme last month bodes well for project's longer term development and passage into the construction phase.
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Extra tunnels seal UK high speed rail approval - TunnelTalk, January 2012
UK High Speed 2 development partner selected - TunnelTalk, January 2012
Seven shortlisted for High Speed 2 design - TunnelTalk, February 2012
Halcrow sells out to CH2M HILL - TunnelTalk, September 2011
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