News on HS2 in Camden

Over the coming months, Network Rail will continue to prepare the way for building the new High Speed 2 (HS2) railway.

This work involves removing redundant overhead line equipment, minor improvement works and surveys, vegetation removal and the construction and modification of access points and safety barriers and managing machine movements both on and off track.

Additionally, preparation works will start at the Barnby Street site for the construction of a new electrical substation that will eventually assist in powering London Euston Station. This work will involve making the site ready for construction, removing all existing vegetation/structures and making a start on ‘piling’ operations for the new substation’s foundations. All operations at this location will be carried out between the hours of 08:00 and 17:00. Piling work is likely to generate some noise, but the contractors will be doing all they can to keep this to a minimum.

Network Rail will also be undertaking essential works over the August bank holiday weekend. The work will involve relocation of existing power supply equipment. This provides power to Euston station and the railway signalling in the surrounding area and to allow this work to be carried out safely, the power to the lines in and out of the station need to be turned off. As a result, no trains will run in or out of Euston station on 26 and 27 August. The work is expected to have a relatively low impact on the local community, with a specialist team working overnight to decommission, re-cable and reenergise the power supply at an alternative location. Services will return to normal on Monday 28 August.

The surveys and soft strip of the DB Cargo shed, will continue to be carried out during the hours of 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays by HS2 and our principal contractors CSJV, with demolition starting around October/November.

Also, over this period local maintenance teams will continue to carry out work to maintain the operational railway in the Euston Area.

Network Rail is undertaking these works to both maintain and improve the railway, and to prepare the way for HS2 to start being built in the Euston area.

To guarantee safety, much of this work must be carried out while trains are not running and when the overhead line is isolated. Network Rail is contractually obliged to work whenever possible at times that cause the least disruption to train services. Unfortunately this often means carrying out improvements mid-week between 08:00 and 18:00, during weekday night-time possessions between 21:00 and 06:45 and at weekends between 18:00 Saturday to 06:45 on the following Monday. To minimise disruption, the works are scheduled to coincide with wider railway maintenance work at Euston. It is possible, however, that as a result of operational requirements or incidents beyond our control, work may be cancelled, postponed, rescheduled or carried out in a different area, at very short notice.

How will this affect me and will this be noisy?

Network Rail is working closely with Camden Council to minimise the impact of these works. All works carried out by Network Rail relating to HS2 enabling works have been agreed in consultation with HS2 Ltd and Camden Council, and will comply with Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, which places restrictions on noisy works.

Unnecessary noise will be minimised where possible – for instance through the use of noise barriers, silenced generators, and continuous noise monitoring. However, for safety reasons, it is not always possible to provide acoustic noise barriers when work at height is taking place or works trains and track mounted vehicles are moving within the work area, where statutory rail industry safety warnings such as train horns and vehicle alarms are mandatory. Installation of temporary lighting is also required to give adequate and safe lighting levels for staff working at night and during overcast weather conditions.

All staff and contractors are regularly briefed on working responsibly in the local community.

Who should I contact if I have further queries?

Please visit www.networkrail.co.uk , or telephone Networks Rail's 24-Hour National Helpline

on 03457 11 41 41 .

If you have any questions about HS2 or why Network Rail is carrying out this work in preparation for HS2, please contact the HS2 helpdesk which is available 24 hours a day on 08081 434 434 or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk