High Speed Rail and Nature Networks
Summary
Connecting nature and connecting to nature
We know that high speed rail connects people and places, remaking the economic geography of the county and providing a green, low carbon way to travel.
What HS2 also does is connect nature. Originally conceived as little more than a green strip along the tracks, its ‘Green Corridor’ is being developed along the length of the line.
This involves creating, restoring and better connecting habitats, restoring linear features such as water courses and partnering with land managers at a landscape scale to maximise ecological connectivity.
HS2 also connects us to nature. As we have seen during COVID-19, access to the countryside has been cherished and valued, yet many of the larger and wilder areas are primarily accessed by car. HS2 can help change this.
As the backbone of a new national transport network providing a transformative uplift in capacity and connectivity, HS2 can transform access and catalyse upgrades to enable more city dwellers to reach national landscapes and rural visitor attractions by sustainable means.