22.11.13
Royal Assent for HS2 paving Act
HS2 has passed a “major milestone” as the High Speed Rail Preparation (paving) Act received Royal Assent this week. The Hybrid Bill will now be introduced into Parliament on Monday for its first reading.
The paving Act allows the government to continue expenditure on detailed design work, letting construction design, designing the realignment of the existing railway, planning the movement of utilities, carrying out ground investigation and ecological surveys and making compensation payments to homeowners.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This is a major milestone in the HS2 project. The new north-south railway needs cross party backing, so I am very pleased that MPs representing constituencies across the country and peers from all three main parties have again given a clear signal of support.
“Receiving Royal Assent for this act on schedule provides the public and businesses further reassurance of our determination to drive forward and deliver HS2 as quickly as possible.”
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