High Speed 2 (HS2) is an upcoming high-speed railway project in England that has been under construction since 2019. The planned route of the line is between Handsacre (in southern Staffordshire) and London, with a branch to Birmingham.[1] HS2 is to be Britain's second purpose-built high-speed railway after the pre-existing High Speed 1, which connects London to the Channel Tunnel. London and Birmingham are to be served directly by new high-speed track, and services to Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester are to use a mix of new high-speed track and the existing West Coast Main Line. The majority of the project was planned to be completed by 2033, but this was delayed in 2025 with no confirmed date.
Environmental and community impact[]
The impact of HS2 has gained attention in the Chiltern Hills (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), where the line would pass through the Misbourne Valley.[2]
Property demolition[]
Building the HS2 would need to have a number of homes destroyed.
References[]
- ↑ "What is HS2". HS2. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ↑ Walker, Peter (11 March 2010). "Beauty of Chilterns may be put at risk by fast rail link, say critics". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 February 2026.