Tunnel stretching 9km under Ealing and Northolt aims to minimise disruption and delay
The developer of the high-speed line to the north of England is recommending the line is tunnelled under parts of west London in a bid to make it quicker to build and less disruptive to residents and road traffic.
A study for HS2 recommended a tunnel under Ealing and Northolt is the best option for this section of the route including being around 15 months faster to build than a surface route.
Local residents, Ealing council and London mayor Boris Johnson had all suggested a tunnel with HS2鈥檚 preferred option a 9km bored tunnel between North Acton and Northolt.
HS2 community and stakeholder manager for London, Peter Fry, said the move 鈥渟hows what can be achieved by working with local people鈥�.
He said: 鈥淭he study we commissioned found that for this specific section of the line, the cost of tunnel would be comparable with a route on the surface without the need to replace bridges and divert associated utilities.
鈥淭he proposed tunnel will be included as the preferred option in the draft environmental statement for the first phase of HS2, so the community and stakeholders will have the opportunity to respond to this proposal as part of the consultation in coming months.鈥�
If adopted, the new tunnel would mean the proposed route for HS2 would be in continuous bored twin tunnels from Old Oak Common to West Ruislip, making it the longest tunnel on the route at 14km - longer than any of the tunnels currently being built under London for Crossrail.
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