London-Birmingham rail link HS2

[kevin wooldridge]

I eventually managed to access the DFT web site. According to section 6.3 of the review document, a full assessment of the archaeological potential has yet to be made

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hs...of-aos.pdf

[P Prentice]

i'm in the business of research not mitigation - i wish

[ken_whittaker]

[QUOTE][I eventually managed to access the DFT web site. According to section 6.3 of the review document, a full assessment of the archaeological potential has yet to be made
/QUOTE]

It would appear that an initial appraisal of route options has been made solely on the basis of designated heritage assets, which is not an unreasonbable basis for refining options prior to detailed EIA. It would appear that Arup has been advising HS2 to date and presumably thier Historic Environment Team have been engaged. HS2 has recently run a PQQ exercise to appoint EIA consultants. It will be interesting to see which consultants are appointed to the panel and whether the route will be divided into sections and shared amongst a number of EIA practices.

[Sith]

It will be interesting to see which consultants are appointed to the panel and whether the route will be divided into sections and shared amongst a number of EIA practices.

And even more interesting further down the line to compare the quaity of the results.

:face-stir:

[pdurdin]

1. If there are known sites which will be damaged/destroyed/affected, then on what scale and how can that be mitigated (or avoided)?
2. If there are unknown sites, aren't these of little value until they're excavated/researched anyway?

There may be economic or ecological reasons to oppose it, but if point 1 is correctly managed then I don't see any reason to oppose it for archaeological reasons...point 2 will provide jobs and lead back into point 1 anyway.

[benmoore]

Just a basic idea from a basic archaeologist. I can't wait to work on a long term project that covers many different landscapes and areas. The fact that this helps create an alternative to road transport makes me happy. And don't let the Tories convince you it was their idea. Sorry for not being more erudite.

[Wax]

Arhaeological issues aside I cannot see how, in a country where local government is cutting front line services to the bone, the vast expense of this rail link can be justified. The way technologies are going who actually needs to travel ? I can understand using it for freight but apart from allowing workers in London to compute to the north what does it really do? A vast red herring that will make a few jobs in the short term for the construction companies ( and archaeologists) and will be redundant before it is built. I don't want my taxes going on something like this. xx( I will eat my hat if it is ever completed

[Oxbeast]

I tend to agree Wax, I am not convinced by the economic or environmental benefits. However, having it stop at Birmingham airport might mean further airport expansion in the SE is less likely. I am a bit bemused by all the people who live in The Chilterns describing it as one af the last unspoiled landscapes in the south/country and the media running that line. Maybe they should get out of London a bit more.

@pdurdin

1. If there are known sites which will be damaged/destroyed/affected, then on what scale and how can that be mitigated (or avoided)?
2. If there are unknown sites, aren't these of little value until they're excavated/researched anyway?

There is also another category, that of 'known unknowns'; where there is some information that a site is/might be there, with a stab at dating, but nothing else is known. Therefore of some value, but unknown in significance.

I've certainly got my beady eye on doing some work on this project.

[pdurdin]

@pdurdin
There is also another category, that of 'known unknowns'; where there is some information that a site is/might be there, with a stab at dating, but nothing else is known. Therefore of some value, but unknown in significance.

I would say those fit under point 1, and it becomes a matter of scale of the work required.

[RedEarth]

Hurrah, the south of England gets a vast chunk of money flung at it! Maybe the rest of us should go for independance too!