Recommendation 6

We are already concerned about the volume of complaints on disruption from the programme which does not bode well for the future as more communities will be impacted as construction progresses. HS2 Ltd estimates it has handled 124,000 queries over the past three years and interacted with over 76,000 people along the route. It is engaging with the supply chain, its contractors and local MPs to help inform communities about its work. However, the number of complaints from the public about High Speed 2 has increased as main construction on Phase One has started. Complaints to the Independent Construction Commissioner HS2 rose to 86 in the first quarter of 2021 from 74 in the previous quarter. The majority of complaints are about the impact of construction on roads and traffic, vegetation clearance and about noise and vibration. Due to the scale of the programme and the time until the railway is complete, complaints are likely to increase as the programme progresses. It will be critical for HS2 Ltd to develop a way of embedding the lessons it has learned into its day-to-day processes, so that mistakes from Phase One are not repeated in Phase Two, and that community engagement and environmental concerns are more proactively addressed by the company. Recommendation: The Department and HS2 Ltd should write to the Committee within three months setting out how they intend to resolve the issues around community engagement and the environment observed by the Committee in this report. HS2 Summer 2021 9 1 Progress with Phase One delivery