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| HS2 construction 'at a peak' as Warwickshire viaduct finished | HS2 construction 'at a peak' as Warwickshire viaduct finished |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Matt Young said the current construction momentum on HS2 was "incredible" | Matt Young said the current construction momentum on HS2 was "incredible" |
| Efforts to construct HS2 have reached a peak with the completion of the first of 13 viaducts at a key rail junction, projects bosses said. | Efforts to construct HS2 have reached a peak with the completion of the first of 13 viaducts at a key rail junction, projects bosses said. |
| The 472m (516yd) single-track River Tame West viaduct has been built at the Delta Junction site near Water Orton, Warwickshire. | The 472m (516yd) single-track River Tame West viaduct has been built at the Delta Junction site near Water Orton, Warwickshire. |
| When all are completed, the 13 structures will take the railway over motorways, rivers, floodplains and local roads from London to Birmingham and on to Staffordshire. | When all are completed, the 13 structures will take the railway over motorways, rivers, floodplains and local roads from London to Birmingham and on to Staffordshire. |
| "Momentum on HS2 is absolutely incredible at the moment," said Matt Young, the project's client director in the Midlands. | "Momentum on HS2 is absolutely incredible at the moment," said Matt Young, the project's client director in the Midlands. |
| "On the civil engineering part of the project we're at peak construction; we'll stay at peak through 2025 and into 2026. | "On the civil engineering part of the project we're at peak construction; we'll stay at peak through 2025 and into 2026. |
| "We've got somewhere in the region of 30,000 people working on the project today, 10,000 here in the West Midlands." | "We've got somewhere in the region of 30,000 people working on the project today, 10,000 here in the West Midlands." |
| An aerial view of HS2 works, showing concrete sections stretching into the distance | |
| The River Tame West Viaducts will carry three rail tracks and feature one single-track viaduct and one double-track viaduct. | The River Tame West Viaducts will carry three rail tracks and feature one single-track viaduct and one double-track viaduct. |
| A spokesperson for HS2 said work was underway on the double-track viaduct. | A spokesperson for HS2 said work was underway on the double-track viaduct. |
| They are at the northern tip of the Delta Junction, a triangular section of railway which enables trains to run between London, Birmingham and the north of England. | They are at the northern tip of the Delta Junction, a triangular section of railway which enables trains to run between London, Birmingham and the north of England. |
| "As we look forward to the spring… we're going to push an enormous box across the A46 in Warwickshire later in April," Mr Young added. | "As we look forward to the spring… we're going to push an enormous box across the A46 in Warwickshire later in April," Mr Young added. |
| "I'm personally really excited about seeing the first breakout of the Bromford Tunnel...which will happen also in April." | "I'm personally really excited about seeing the first breakout of the Bromford Tunnel...which will happen also in April." |
| 'UK first' claimed in viaduct work | 'UK first' claimed in viaduct work |
| The viaduct was constructed in what HS2's contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI, claimed was a UK first - using a giant cantilever structure to build it. | The viaduct was constructed in what HS2's contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI, claimed was a UK first - using a giant cantilever structure to build it. |
| Cantilevers are beams supported only at one end but able to carry a load on the other end and the firm said it was used to move sections of precast concrete into place. | Cantilevers are beams supported only at one end but able to carry a load on the other end and the firm said it was used to move sections of precast concrete into place. |
| "It's an efficient and flexible process using cable stays from the cantilever structure to keep the viaduct in place, while a mast and swivel crane are used to place each segment in place," Nicolas Gallone, from Balfour Beatty VINCI said. | "It's an efficient and flexible process using cable stays from the cantilever structure to keep the viaduct in place, while a mast and swivel crane are used to place each segment in place," Nicolas Gallone, from Balfour Beatty VINCI said. |
| The technique will be used on eight of the further 12 viaducts, he added, with all the deck sections due to be in place by late 2026. | The technique will be used on eight of the further 12 viaducts, he added, with all the deck sections due to be in place by late 2026. |
| Campaigner Joe Rukin said the cost of HS2 was a price "not worth paying" | Campaigner Joe Rukin said the cost of HS2 was a price "not worth paying" |
| The 140-mile (225km) rail route started as a Labour project, announced in 2009 but has since been hit with setbacks and soaring costs. | The 140-mile (225km) rail route started as a Labour project, announced in 2009 but has since been hit with setbacks and soaring costs. |
| Several parts of the initial route were scrapped including the link between Birmingham and Manchester and the Leeds leg. | Several parts of the initial route were scrapped including the link between Birmingham and Manchester and the Leeds leg. |
| The government's last estimate of the overall cost for the remaining Birmingham to London stretch was between £45bn and £54bn in 2019 prices - however, HS2 management estimated £49bn to £57bn. | The government's last estimate of the overall cost for the remaining Birmingham to London stretch was between £45bn and £54bn in 2019 prices - however, HS2 management estimated £49bn to £57bn. |
| The scheme also still faces fierce criticism from campaigners. | The scheme also still faces fierce criticism from campaigners. |
| "When they first announced it, it was meant to be open in 2025 - it doesn't look like its going to be open any time soon," said Joe Rukin, campaign manager of Stop HS2. | "When they first announced it, it was meant to be open in 2025 - it doesn't look like its going to be open any time soon," said Joe Rukin, campaign manager of Stop HS2. |
| "At every point, the cost has got worse, the delays have got worse, the environmental impact has got worse, the impact on communities has got worse. | "At every point, the cost has got worse, the delays have got worse, the environmental impact has got worse, the impact on communities has got worse. |
| "Even though it's a fraction of what was promised in the first place, it's still going to cost more, it's still going to be a decade late and for what cost? A cost not worth paying quite frankly." | "Even though it's a fraction of what was promised in the first place, it's still going to cost more, it's still going to be a decade late and for what cost? A cost not worth paying quite frankly." |
| He added he believed that people on the route who disagreed with the project were being blamed for planning delays. | He added he believed that people on the route who disagreed with the project were being blamed for planning delays. |
| In January, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced plans to block campaigners from making repeated legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects in England and Wales. | In January, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced plans to block campaigners from making repeated legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects in England and Wales. |
| The River Tame West Viaducts will carry three rail tracks | |
| "I acknowledge public concern about both the time and cost of the project. I think that it's been well advertised that we've now got a new CEO in the company, Mark Wild," said Mr Young. | "I acknowledge public concern about both the time and cost of the project. I think that it's been well advertised that we've now got a new CEO in the company, Mark Wild," said Mr Young. |
| "He's undertaking a deliberate review at the moment of both cost and the schedule for the project. | "He's undertaking a deliberate review at the moment of both cost and the schedule for the project. |
| "So we look forward to seeing the outcome of that and that being approved by government in due course." | "So we look forward to seeing the outcome of that and that being approved by government in due course." |
| Mr Young added that, in the part of the project he was accountable for, he still needed to secure about 3,000 planning consents. | Mr Young added that, in the part of the project he was accountable for, he still needed to secure about 3,000 planning consents. |
| "To do that, I've got to go to seven different local planning authorities, I've got to go to numerous additional consent-granting bodies…and of course that takes time," said Mr Young. | "To do that, I've got to go to seven different local planning authorities, I've got to go to numerous additional consent-granting bodies…and of course that takes time," said Mr Young. |
| "That's why, as an organisation, we welcome this government review into planning to support major infrastructure." | "That's why, as an organisation, we welcome this government review into planning to support major infrastructure." |
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