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Video: HS2’s Alison Munro on the hybrid bill and a 2017 start

The hybrid bill is taking time but is on track for Royal Assent next year, says HS2 managing director for development Alison Munro.

November 2013 was the month the hybrid bill for phase one of HS2 was deposited with Parliament. A further 19 months later, speaking at the Tomorrow’s Rail conference last month, managing director for development for HS2 Ltd Alison Munro says the bill is making good progress.

“We are getting quicker at delivery, the hybrid bill will pass through Parliament more quickly than Crossrail and HS1"

“We’ve had a very large number of petitioners so inevitably it will take time to go through the Parliamentary process, but we’re making very good progress. Royal Assent is still expected next year so we’ll be starting to build HS2 in 2017,” she says.

The hybrid bill is understood to have received around 1900 petitions, but there have been no major surprises, Munro says. HS2 Ltd has been working closely with affected communities and local authorities. The process of delivery takes time. “We are a democracy. Everyone deserves to have their views and concerns heard and duly considered,” she says.

“We are getting quicker at delivery, the hybrid bill will pass through Parliament more quickly than Crossrail and HS1,” Munro says.

HS2 Ltd has been looking into the possibilities of accelerating construction of parts of phase two, on the western leg north of Birmingham up to Crewe. “We’re also now doing the same for the eastern side, looking at how we could build Leeds to Sheffield more quickly. So, yes there is real desire to do things quicker,” Munro adds. “Building the supply chain will be critical for this.”