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Ahead of its arrival into Runcorn, 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 HS2 roadshow 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 stop at Runcorn ShoppingCity on Thursday, 19th August, from 10:00 – 19:00. The event will allow residents and visitors to find out more about the plans already underway to bring Britain’s new low carbon railway to the port town.

Becoming a high-speed rail destination presents huge opportunities for Runcorn. As well as providing residents with faster travel to new destinations, the connectivity boost that HS2 provides will open Halton’s heritage delights, green spaces and specialist trades in science, technology and healthcare to new business and leisure markets, supporting the region’s tourism sector and wider economic growth.

The vision for Runcorn Station Quarter to become a multi-modal transport hub, ahead of HS2’s arrival, is one of 14 areas across Halton that together form the Mersey Gateway Regeneration Plus Plan – a £1 billion regeneration project being driven by Halton Borough Council.

Experts from all areas of the HS2 project will be on hand at each roadshow 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.

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 would like to remind you that funding is available for projects which will enhance biodiversity along the line of the Phase 2a route by restoring existing habitat and creating new high-quality habitat .

The HS2 Phase 2a Biodiversity Investment Fund (BIF) has a value of £2 million and will be managed alongside and in synergy with the £5m Phase 2a Community and Business Funds (CEF & BLEF).

Applications for BIF opened on 10 May and the deadline for Stage One applications is 10 November 2021 .

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.

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:

Applications are now open for the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) for Phase 2a of HS2 (West Midlands to Crewe)

£5million is available through these Funds for communities and local economies experiencing disruption due to the construction of Phase 2a.

If you would like to find out more about these funds join us for our webinar on Wednesday 14 July at 12:00-12:45 . The webinar will provide an overview on; how to access the Funds, the management and governance processes in place, the Funds criteria, and example projects. There will also be the chance to ask us any questions you may have.

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.

A one to one meeting with the Phase 2a engagement team is an opportunity to ask us questions about Phase 2a directly – from where the route is going, how we will be building the railway and what works are happening in your area to the support and funds available to local communities.

The Phase 2a line will run from the northern end of Phase One at Fradley in the West Midlands to Crewe in Cheshire. In February this year Phase 2a of HS2 successfully completed over three years of Parliamentary scrutiny to receive Royal Assent. This provided us with the powers to build and operate the railway.

During this online event you will learn about:

• Where Phase 2a of HS2 goes as it travels from the northern end of Phase One at Fradley in the West Midlands to Crewe in Cheshire.

• What activity is underway now and what you can expect as we start to build Phase 2a.

• The support HS2 has made available for communities along the route of the new railway.

• The opportunities to get involved with HS2 and how you can engage with us.

• There will also be the opportunity for you to ask us any questions you may have.

We are delivering the live event at two different times and dates to provide more options for those wishing to join us.

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.

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 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.

We would like to invite you to our free online event to find out more about biodiversity enhancement and funding opportunities associated with HS2.

HS2 and Groundwork UK are hosting this free webinar to explain how to access HS2 Ltd’s Phase 2a Biodiversity Investment Fund (BIF), available for projects which will enhance biodiversity along the line of the Phase 2a route by restoring existing habitat and creating new habitat. This fund builds on those currently available to communities along Phase One and Phase 2a of the HS2 route.

The BIF has a value of £2 million and will be managed alongside and in synergy with the £5m Phase 2a Community and Business Funds (CEF & BLEF).

Our team will provide information on how to access the funds, the management and governance processes in place, the funds criteria and the links with CEF & BLEF, the HS2 Green Corridor and the Woodland Fund.

The webinar will be broadcast live on Thursday 13 May, from 12.00-13.00pm.

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.

A new contract has been signed to create new woods and wetlands as part of early environmental works on the Phase 2a route between the West Midlands and Crewe .

Established ecological mitigation site at Finham Brook, Warwickshire

The £52 million early environmental works contract we have signed with Balfour Beatty marks the first stage in extending the high speed rail line from Birmingham to Crewe and follows Royal Assent for this stage of the line in February 2021. The 36-mile stretch of Phase 2a from Birmingham to Crewe is projected to open alongside the first section of the railway from Birmingham to London, and will provide seamless high speed services between Crewe, the West Midlands and London, with a link to the mainline for direct services northwards.

Supporting 200 jobs, the environmental works will take place at 82 sites running north from Fradley in Staffordshire and will include tree planting at over 40 sites, covering the area of 86 football pitches; more than 18 miles of new hedgerows; the creation of 20 new ponds, enough to fill 10½ Olympic swimming pools and enough new grassland meadows to cover 140 football pitches to encourage wildflowers and insects to flourish.

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 .

In July 2017, the Government deposited a hybrid Bill with Parliament to secure the powers to construct and operate Phase 2a of the new high-speed railway between the West Midlands and Crewe. Today HS2 took a major step forward, as the latest phase successfully completed over three years of Parliamentary scrutiny to receive Royal Assent.

The Phase 2a hybrid Bill contained over 15,000 pages of information and weighed in at 109kg. The House of Commons Select Committee spent 51 days hearing petitions from those most affected by the construction and operation of the new railway, with 14 days of petitioning heard in the House of Lords.

The hybrid Bill process has enabled communities, individuals, and organisations along the line of route to raise concerns, have their views heard in select committee, and to influence how we build the railway. To date, the Secretary of State for Transport has provided over 1,500 Undertakings and Assurances to stakeholders affected by the Phase 2a route.

Benefits of the scheme

Obtaining Royal Assent has also triggered the launch of route-wide schemes targeted at assisting communities. Two funds, worth a combined £5 million, will soon be open for applications:

The Phase 2a Homeowner Payment (HOP) Scheme is now available to property owners in rural areas who live between 120 and 300 metres from the HS2 line, wherever it is not in a deep tunnel. Eligible property owners can apply for between £8,000 and £24,000, depending on how close they live to the proposed line.

The Green Corridor initiative will promote ways for local people to enjoy the countryside, providing a network of habitats created along the HS2 Phase 2a corridor.

The Road Safety Fund will go towards local road safety schemes in areas not currently accustomed to construction traffic. This will help provide a legacy of improvements for areas adversely affected by Phase 2a traffic.

It is anticipated that the construction of HS2 Phase 2a will create in the region of 1,920 full time construction jobs, 140 permanent jobs (e.g. from the maintenance base near Stone) and further jobs throughout the entire supply chain. By building Phase 2a earlier than planned, the cities in the north of England and Scotland will see the benefits of HS2 more quickly. It is expected that the building of HS2 will create opportunities for regeneration and improved connectivity - in effect bringing cities closer together, opening up new markets, new job opportunities, and new opportunities for growth.

What happens next

Preliminary work on the Phase 2a route has already begun, in the form of Ground Investigation work. This started in November 2020 and will take several months to complete.

In spring 2021 work will begin to prepare the land ready for the construction of the railway. This enabling work will include further surveys, utility diversions, archaeological digs, tree planting, ecological habitat creation and work on the highways. The main construction programme is not due to start until 2023 and over the next two years we will be preparing the final design of the railway.

Keeping you informed

We are committed to keeping you informed about work on HS2. This includes making sure you know what to expect and when to expect it, as well as how we can help. As part of this, we will produce a local area engagement plan setting out how we will engage with communities along the 2a route to ensure that we meet our commitments and continue to be a good neighbour. Our first local area engagement plan will be published later this year.

During its passage through the House of Lords, an amendment to the Phase 2a Bill was made requiring a further consultation on a variety of topics including the impact of road traffic as a result of our work, the impact of our work on the natural environment, transport provisions for passengers connecting to Phase 2a, and whether new railway stations, improvements to existing railway stations, and the reopening of associated lines is necessary to support passenger connections to Phase 2a.

Responses to this consultation will help inform Government policy on HS2 Phase 2a and the environment and on future proposals for services on HS2 Phase 2a and the conventional rail (i.e. Network Rail network) and other transport networks.

Given the extensive consultation already undertaken for Phase 2a and consideration of the scheme by both Select Committees in Parliament, the Government does not intend to make substantive changes to the Phase 2a scheme or to its planned construction programme in light of this consultation.

The consultation has now closed .

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.

In a landmark for the second phase of Britain's new high-speed railway, companies are being invited to tender for the first major works contracts to be awarded on Phase 2a of the project - heading north from the West Midlands to Crewe. Linking Birmingham to Crewe, Phase 2a will carry trains bound for destinations such as Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and the north west, speeding up overall journey times and freeing up space on the existing network.

The ‘Early Civils Work – Package 2’ is a £50m programme of enabling works designed to reduce disruption during the main build stage of the project. This includes major highways works and associated utility diversions as well as a range of environmental and other surveys along the 58km route. They mark the first major preparatory activity to be carried out beyond Phase One, currently being built between the West Midlands and London.

A detailed programme of ground investigation along the Phase 2a route has already begun and Balfour Beatty has been awarded £25-30m to continue this work. Data from this and previous geological investigations, will inform ongoing design development.

Once complete, Phase One and 2a will significantly reduce journey times between the capital, north west England and Scotland with services joining the existing west coast mainline at Crewe.

The new infrastructure will also free up capacity on the existing network for more local trains and freight by rail. This could see services rise from hourly to half-hourly or better between Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent to Nuneaton, Tamworth, Lichfield and Rugeley, more services from Crewe and Runcorn to Liverpool, as well as via Crewe between North Wales, Chester and London.

Draft legislation to build, operate and maintain Phase 2a is currently proceeding through Parliament, with Royal Assent anticipated during winter, with contracts for the early works expected to be awarded in early 2021.

Since the publication of our newsletter and In Your Area booklets earlier this year, we wanted to:

We would like to invite you to join our online event to learn more about our Community and Business Funds and local business opportunities available to communities close to the Phase 2a route between the West Midlands and Crewe. This free webinar will take place on Tuesday 10 November from 1-2pm.

Community and Business Funds

The first half of the session will explain how to access our Community and Business Funds, exclusively available to those disrupted by the construction of the railway. The Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) have a combined value of £5 million for Phase 2a communities and will be available following Royal Assent of the Phase 2a Bill.

During the event our team will:

The session will be tailored, as far as possible, so that attendees gain a good understanding of their eligibility for the programme.

Opportunities for local businesses

The second half of the session will cover how local businesses could get involved through working with our contractors and you will:

There will also be a live Q&A where you can ask the HS2 team and partner charity, Groundwork UK, your questions.

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:

Discover more about the mysteries of the past and how our ancestors lived in Cheshire as we host a fascinating online archaeology event as part of Heritage Open Days 2020.

Our free online webinar, focussing on the archaeology to be found between Fradley in Staffordshire and Crewe in Cheshire, takes place this Thursday, September 18. The talk will provide an introduction about the heritage along the route of the new railway, including the influence of the landscape on the history and archaeology of the area. It will discuss what we are trying to discover, how we do it, and what findings we might expect over the next few years.

To register for this event, please click on the link below:

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):

HS2 contractors have been carrying out works near the A452, A45 and M42 in Solihull since 2018. We refer to this location as the Interchange area because it will be the home of the future HS2 Interchange Station .

Situated near the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Airport, Interchange Station will be a major transport gateway for the region, with HS2 providing high speed rail connections to London, Birmingham and the North of England.

To ensure that the local road network is fit for purpose when the future HS2 Interchange Station is operational, our contractor LM is expanding and improving the existing road network and creating new routes on HS2 land. In early August 2020, a key piece of work in this area will be to install a highways bridge spanning the M42.

Artist's impression of the new road bridge across the M42

We have published a new newsletter that explains what we have been up to on Phase 2a, the latest plans and support available. The newsletter includes some of the following:

We have recently published a new set of information booklets that provide updates on how the Phase 2a route, between the West Midlands and Crewe, is being developed and what’s next. The booklets include:

Click on the links below to view and download the booklets:

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 health, safety and wellbeing of the communities along the route of the new railway, and our staff, remains our absolute priority.

We are working closely with our construction partners to review the works on 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.

Work at the majority of our sites has been paused as we complete this review, noting that some staff may be present to make the safety assessments and to ensure the sites remain safe and secure.

We do expect that work will restart at some of these sites where 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.

We have taken the decision to postpone all face-to-face engagement events and meetings during this period. We have been notifying local residents and putting in place alternative ways of communicating and engaging with communities over the coming weeks and months.

The HS2 Helpdesk remains operational all day, every day, and will be the public’s first point of contact should they need advice or information from HS2. You can contact the Helpdesk:

Following UK Government advice to stop non-essential contact with other people, and avoid all unnecessary travel, we have taken the decision to postpone a number of face to face engagement events and meetings. You may already have received notifications about some of these. We have made this decision to support the government aim to reduce the time spent in public places and the amount of contact between people due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

We are looking at alternative ways of engaging and communicating with you over the coming weeks and months.

The HS2 Helpdesk remains operational all day, every day, and will be your first point of contact should you need advice or information from HS2.  You can contact the Helpdesk on:

We have published the third 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 July 2019, 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.

We will continue to publish these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover July to December 2019, and will be published in spring 2020.

As part of our commitment to keep communities informed about HS2, we have set up 13 information points along the Phase 2a route.

Situated in local community spaces, each information point features leaflets and booklets containing information about the project, including:

The documents are free for people to take away.

The Phase 2a information points are at the following locations:

· Brereton library - Talbot Rd, Rugeley WS15 1AU

· Rugeley library - Rugeley Library, Anson Street, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 2BB

· Lichfield library - Lichfield Library, The Guild of St Mary's Centre, Market Square, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6LG

· Uttoxeter library - Uttoxeter Library, Red Gables, High Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 7JQ

· Lichfield District Council offices - 20 Frog Ln, Lichfield WS13 6HS

· Stafford library - Stafford Library, Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH.

· Stafford Borough Council offices - Riverside, Civic Centre, Stafford ST16

· Staffs County Council offices - 1 Staffordshire Place, Stafford, ST16 2DH

· Stone library - Stone Library, High Street, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8AT

· Yarnfield conference centre - Yarnfield Park, Yarnfield, Stone ST15 0NL

· Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council offices - Castle House, Barracks Rd, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 1BL

· Crewe library - Lifestyle Centre, Moss Square, Crewe CW1 2BB

· Cheshire East council offices – Delamere House, Delamere St, Crewe, CW1 2JZ

HS2’s brand new track and fast intercity services will carry more than 2 million people a week.

By freeing up space on existing lines, for new local train services, passengers and freight, HS2 helps ease congestion and over-crowding. Travelling by train becomes a more convenient and enjoyable option for everybody, regardless of how far they’re going.

Our latest video explains how the delivery of Britain's new high speed railway will be a game changer for the UK rail network and will help to improve your journey, even if you don't use our trains.

Once the full network is complete we expect HS2 trains to carry over 300,000 passengers a day. We have planned for the future by making sure that the HS2 network can grow with increased demand.

Up to 48 HS2 trains will be running on the rail network every hour, each carrying up to 1,100 passengers.

HS2 is committed to being a good neighbour every single day by respecting the people and communities we impact and being sensitive to their needs. Crucially, our contractors share the same ethos, and are taking opportunities to leave a positive impact along the route.

Our contractors Balfour Beatty, currently carrying out our ground investigation works for Phase 2a in Cheshire, exemplified what being a good neighbour is as they ‘saved the day’ for a bride and groom whose wedding might otherwise have been a washout. Responding to a request for help Balfour Beatty installed MaxiTrack walkway on sodden and muddy ground where the wedding was taking places, allowing all the guests safe and mud-free access to the marquee.

You can contact our HS2 Helpdesk team all day, every day of the year on:

Landowners near Phase One of HS2 have been making great use of HS2’s Woodland Fund, with a variety of woodland projects now taking root between London and the West Midlands.

The HS2 Woodland Fund is a grant scheme supporting HS2’s routewide ecology programme. It provides funds to help landowners restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites, which includes restocking with native trees and shrubs. It also helps create new native, broad leaf woodlands, especially where they connect or expand existing ancient woodland or connect semi-natural open habitats.

The £5m fund is currently open to applications from landowners within 25 miles of the Phase One route of HS2, which passes through parts of Greater London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, as well as the wider West Midlands. A £2m fund will be in place for phase 2a of the railway in future, which passes through parts of Staffordshire and Cheshire. The fund will be developed following Royal Assent of the Phase 2a Parliamentary Bill, which is expected at the end of 2019.

This summer HS2 will be attending a number of events along the line of route for Phase 2a.

This will give you the opportunity to meet our community engagement team and learn more about HS2 and also around the many opportunities and schemes available.

Come and see us at the following events:

Groundwork, the independent administrators of Phase One of HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), have released the HS2 Fund Annual Review for 2018/2019.

In this last year, 49 CEF & BLEF projects have received funding with communities and businesses along Phase 1 benefitting to the tune of close to £3m.

We have published the second 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 2018, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the second half of the year, along with year-end data from our Helpdesk, community funding awarded and the events held.

We will continue to publish these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover January to June 2019, and will be published in autumn 2019.

The Government has proposed some changes to the plans for Phase 2a of the railway. Phase 2a refers to the section of HS2 from Fradley, in Staffordshire, to Crewe. The proposals are currently being considered by Parliament and are contained within a hybrid Bill which will eventually provide the powers to construct and operate the railway. The latest changes are covered in what is known as an ‘Additional Provision’ to the Bill, which was deposited in Parliament today, 8 February. This is the second Additional Provision to the Phase 2a Bill, and is referred to as AP2.

The Government proposes these changes for a variety of reasons. Some are a result of agreements made between HS2 Ltd and people affected by the existing Bill, while others are because of decisions taken by the Select Committee of MPs that hears petitions (i.e objections) against the Bill. Some of the other changes have come about through design refinements, or through more information becoming available, particularly about utilities infrastructure.

AP2 includes changes along the whole line of the Phase 2a route, and also in a number of locations off-route. Anyone directly and specially affected by the changes proposed in AP2 will have the right to be heard by the Select Committee if they choose to petition.

We have recently completed our latest round of public information events for people affected by Phase 2a of the railway. Between 15-29 October we held events at Mavesyn Ridware, Yarnfield, Abbots Bromley, Crewe, Madeley, Whitmore and Stafford.

We have published the first 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 January to June 2018, and draws on a number of case studies of activity during the first half of this year, along with currently available data such as from our helpdesk, funding awarded and the events held.

We will be publishing these reports on a six monthly basis. The next report will cover July to December 2018, and will be published in spring 2019. In the next report we will include feedback from communities on how well they think we are doing at being a good neighbour, building on the content of the first report.

You can download the report at the link below.

Starting from Monday 15 October we are conducting some research focused on asking the views of communities along the route of the new railway. This is a telephone survey lasting about ten minutes that will be carried out by Ipsos MORI on our behalf.

Welcome to the HS2 in Cheshire commonplace site.

The site will be used to provide information and updates on HS2 in the local area.

This news feed is where the latest news updates will be posted, telling you about upcoming works and events and anything else that you need to know about HS2 in your community. Make sure you sign up to the site to receive an alert when a new news item is posted. You can do this by entering in your email address into the box on the right.

The site will continue to grow in content over time and we hope that you find the information useful.