High court challenge to prevent HS2 tunnel works fails

A WOMAN has lost her High Court challenge over proposals to create tunnels near Euston station as part of the controversial HS2 rail scheme.

Local resident Hero Granger-Taylor brought legal action against the Government and HS2 Ltd, arguing that the “three tunnels” plan in the approaches to the north London station could lead a 119-year-old wall close to her home to collapse on to the tunnels below or the existing railway line.

She said the tunnels plan is “inherently unsafe” and as such amounts to a breach of her human rights.

But in a ruling yesterday, Mr Justice Jay dismissed Ms Granger-Taylor’s claim.

In his judgment, he said that he had not been persuaded that the “three tunnels” design was “unattainable”.

The senior judge said: “I cannot conclude on all the evidence that the three tunnels design is so inherently flawed in the vicinity of the retaining wall that no engineering solution could be found to construct it safely.”

Mr Justice Jay noted that further work on the design is due to be carried out with “numerous levels of checking and review” and that work, assessments and reviews will be conducted “in respect of those features of the project of greatest concern” to Ms Granger-Taylor.

He added that Tim Mould QC, representing the Government and HS2 Ltd, had “accepted in terms that if at any stage during this process it should become apparent that the outbound tunnel under the retaining wall cannot be constructed safely, then the three tunnels design would require modification or abandonment”.

The senior judge said he had “no difficulty” in accepting this because “the defendants would not choose to act irresponsibly.”