A new evidence report, ‘HS2 double jeopardy: how the UK’s largest infrastructure project undervalued nature and overvalued its compensation measures’, reveals fundamental flaws in the way HS2 Ltd has assessed the value of nature along the construction path of HS2.
It finds that HS2 Ltd has hugely undervalued natural habitats and the wildlife that is being destroyed by the construction along the route – while simultaneously overvaluing the impact of its nature compensation measures.
For example, Phase 1 which covers 140 miles of track between London and the West Midlands, will cause at least 7.9 times more nature loss than accounted for by HS2 Ltd. The new analysis finds that HS2 Ltd has hugely undervalued wild places being destroyed along the route – while simultaneously overvaluing the impact of its nature compensation measures.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust supports this report and the recommendation to pause construction of HS2 whilst these new findings are assessed by the Government and is urging the public to support this campaign by signing an open letter to the Government.
The evidence report is a review of the No Net Loss* data for HS2 Phases 1 and 2a and was commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts. It finds:
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Across Phase 1 of HS2 (2021 scheme): at least 7.9 times more biodiversity loss than that calculated by HS2 Ltd
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Across Phase 2a of HS2: at least 3.6 times more biodiversity loss than that calculated by HS2 Ltd