HS2 in Hillingdon – Key information

We use several ways to keep you updated on HS2 works in your area.

Work notifications

We tell you about planned works at least two weeks in advance. You can find these notifications:

• on our interactive map
• by post
• by email if you subscribe

Meeting you in person

We visit local areas to tell you about planned works, listen to your concerns and answer your questions.

Public information events

We hold public information events to update you on key topics.

Monthly meetings

We hold monthly meetings with elected representatives, the local authority and members of local residents associations.

Working with the London Borough of Hillingdon

We meet regularly with the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Working with local businesses

We meet with local businesses affected by our works.

Visitor information hub

Our visitor information hub is open twice a week on Monday and Wednesday, 2pm to 4pm. Drop in for a chat with our community engagement team.

You can find us to the right of the entrance to the west portal HS2 site. From the West Ruislip tube station entrance, cross the road and turn right until you reach the ‘west portal’ sign.

HS2 Hillingdon newsletter

We publish the HS2 Hillingdon newsletter every four months.

These look aheads provide you with information about HS2 works and developments taking place in Hillingdon.

This section provides you with information about HS2 works and developments taking place in Hillingdon, and how we’re managing the impacts of construction.

Use the links below to find out about works at our main sites in the Hillingdon area.

These map links are updated on a weekly basis.

• Main site activities in the Colne Valley Viaduct area 
• Main site activities in the Harvil Road and Copthall area 
• Main site activities in the Breakspear Road area 
• Main site activities in the West Ruislip area 
• Main site activities in the South Ruislip area 

Our tunnel boring machines (TBMs) excavated about 1.2 million cubic metres of material from the Northolt tunnel and land excavation of Copthall tunnel. We’ve used this to create sustainable placement areas – landscaped mounds that will blend into the local environment.

Northern sustainable placement area

The northern sustainable placement area is north of Newyears Green Lane, west of Breakspear Road South and south of Bayhurst Woods. We’ve created two groups of mounds using excavated material.

Western mounds

These are on land immediately north of Newyears Green Lane. The mounds rise to 18 metres (59ft) above ground level at their highest point. They contain about 209,000 cubic metres of material.

Eastern mounds

These are on land immediately north of Newyears Green Lane and west of Breakspear Road. The mounds rise to 18 metres (59ft) above ground level at their highest point. They contain about 468,000 cubic metres of material.

We moved all excavated material within HS2 work sites, avoiding the need to use local roads.

Landscaping progress

We’ve seeded most of the mounds and planted about 45,000 trees across the site – a key step in creating the long-term environmental legacy of this area.

We’re preparing for the next planting season in  2026, when we’ll plant a further 65,000 trees. We’re also removing the site offices and preparing the haul road, which we’ll topsoil, seed and plant as part of the final landscape reinstatement works.

Southern sustainable placement area

The southern sustainable placement area is south of the Chiltern Line railway, between Harvil Road and Breakspear Road South. We’ve placed excavated material on three mounds that we’ve landscaped. We’ve put the subsoil and topsoil back on the earth, blending in with the local landscape.

We’ve planted 3,727 shrubs and trees and completed seeding the mounds and the aquatic area in April 2025. We’re now maintaining these areas.

HS2 lorries must follow an agreed route when accessing or leaving HS2 sites. A map of these routes for Hillingdon sites operated by SCS Railways is shown below.

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates providing vehicle location data. Now, there are ANPR cameras in place along the HS2 route to ensure that site traffic, including HGVs, follow the correct designated routes approved for them by the London Borough of Hillingdon.

We have installed 28 roads cameras in Hillingdon and this ANPR network has been live since 25 March 2024. ANPR will help HS2 identify any site traffic using unauthorised routes. The cameras will be used only for the identification and compliance of HS2 vehicles keeping to designated routes and will not be used to monitor other vehicular traffic or private road users.

During the construction of the new railway there may be an increase in traffic during certain periods and we understand that this is something that residents are very concerned about. The section below includes an overview of what we are doing in Hillingdon to try and reduce traffic disruption.

To try and limit the effect on local roads as far as we can, our contractors are only allowed to use prescribed driving routes for their lorries, which provide the most suitable links from worksites to the main road network. In addition, routes to be used by large goods vehicles must be approved by qualifying planning authorities, i.e., Hillingdon Council, when the number of large goods vehicles, over 7.5t, exceeds 24 one-way trips per day to and from a site.

In the Ickenham and Ruislip area the roads that are designated as construction lorry routes in the Environmental Statement are:

• Ickenham High Road
• Swakeleys Road
• Harvil Road
• Breakspear Road South
• Moorhall Road
• Victoria Road
• Field End Road
• Western Avenue (A40)

If the worksite access to and from these designated construction traffic routes is altered or, a new route is proposed, the consent of the relevant road authority i.e., Hillingdon Council is required.

Furthermore, the Code of Construction Practice will require HS2 or their contractors to prepare local traffic management plans in liaison with road and traffic authorities and the emergency services, which will include the requirement for protecting roads. You can find more general information for road users in the borough at roadworks.org.

Footpath U81 / Hillingdon Trail, through Ruislip Golf Course

From June 2020 there will be a long-term diversion of footpath U81 due to construction works at Ruislip Golf Course. The diversion will pass along The Greenway, Ickenham Road and Clacks Lane.

Footpath U36 (Newyears Green Lane)

From September 2020 there will be a long-term diversion of footpath U36. The diversion will allow access via footpath U37 as diversion.