HS2: Definition of 'in a cutting'

The request was successful.

Dear Department for Transport,

Request under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act

At a CPRE meeting in November 2012 regarding the HS2 Ltd route, Patrick McLoughlin said that “more than half the route between London and Birmingham will now be in tunnels or cuttings.”

I would like to know the basis for this calculation.

1. At what depth below existing ground level did he count a section of track as ‘in a cutting’?
• Did it only refer to those sections of track that would be deep enough to conceal both the trains and the overhead wires (c. 8m) but no shallower?
• Or did it refer to all lengths of track even where the track bed will be only 0.1m below existing ground level?
• Or did it refer to some height in-between these two extremes?

2. Could you also confirm whether – whatever the definition of ‘in a cutting’ – that this same definition has been used
• consistently since March 2010 by the Department for Transport in relation to HS2, and by HS2Ltd in all public documents on HS2
• or if not, what the range of definitions of ‘in a cutting’ have been in relation to which public documents?

I look forward to hearing back from you within 20 working days.

Yours faithfully
M. Wahlberg
11 Dec 12

,

Hazel Smith, Department for Transport

Dear Mr Wahlberg

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request for information which has been allocated the reference number 9549. A response will be issued to you in due course.

Regards,

Department for Transport
Information Rights & Records Unit
D/01, Ashdown House
Sedlescombe Road North
St Leonards on Sea
East Sussex
TN37 7GA

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highspeedrail, Department for Transport

1 Attachment

Please refer to the attached acknowledgement letter.

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Cox

High Speed Rail Team

 

 

 

 

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highspeedrail, Department for Transport

1 Attachment

Please refer to the attached letter.

 

 

 

Paul Cox

High Speed Rail Team

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Richard Taylor left an annotation ()

The response states:

You asked for information regarding HS2 cuttings for the Phase 1 route, London to West
Midlands which I will answer in turn:

i.
For the purposes of the HS2 project, a cutting is defined as “where the depth of
excavation from existing ground down to rail level is more than 1 metre. For the
purpose of longitudinal (length) measurement, the ends of such a cutting are taken
at the chainage where existing ground and rail level are coincident.”

ii.
I can confirm that the definition of ‘in a cutting’ is the same definition that has been
used consistently since March 2010 by the Department for Transport in relation to
HS2,and by HS2 Ltd in all public documents on HS2.