HS2 in Hillingdon

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

The earth that the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have excavated has produced about 1.2 million cubic metres of material. We have used this to create sustainable placement areas.

Northern Sustainable Placement Area (NSPA)

The NSPA is located to the north of Newyears Green Lane, west of Breakspear Road South and south of Bayhurst Woods. Within the NSPA, mounds have been formed using excavated material from the Copthall Tunnel.

There are two separate sites where the mounds are located:

• Western mounds on land immediately to the north of Newyears Green Lane. The mounds will rise to 18 metres above existing ground level at their highest point. The mound will consist of approximately 209,000 cubic metres of material.
• Eastern mounds on land immediately to the north of Newyears Green Lane and west of Breakspear Road. The mounds will rise to 18 metres in height above existing ground level at its highest point. The mound will consist of approximately 468,000 cubic metres of material.

We have transported excavated material to form the mounds at the NSPA sites within the HS2 work compounds, avoiding the need to use the local highway network.

Since completing the earthworks at the NSPA in late summer 2024, we have made good progress landscaping the area. We’ve successfully seeded most of the mounds and have now planted approximately 45,000 trees across the site, a key milestone in delivering the long-term environmental legacy of this area.

Looking ahead, we are preparing for the next planting season in 2025-26, which will see a further 65,000 trees planted. In parallel, we’re demobilising the site offices and turning our attention to the haul road, which will be topsoiled, seeded and planted as part of the final landscape reinstatement works.

Southern Sustainable Placement Area (SSPA)

The SSPA is located south of the Chiltern Line railway, between Harvil Road and Breakspear Road South. We have placed excavated material on three mounds that have been landscaped. The sub and topsoil has been placed back on the earth, blending in with the local landscape.

The landscaping of the SSPA has progressed well.  We have planted a total of 3,727 whips and shrubs and completed the seeding of the mounds and the aquatic area in April 2025. We are now maintaining these areas.

SCS Railways recognise that the works at the SSPA have been a cause of concern for local residents, particularly in relation to potential flood risks.

The Breakspear Road ordinary watercourse was prone to flooding before we started working in the area. We have implemented a number of mitigation measures to help reduce flood risk, which include a fully designed surface water drainage system and an attenuation pond.

Attenuation ponds control the amount of excess water entering the drainage system to prevent it from becoming overwhelmed, and to reduce the likelihood of flooding. They are a vital flood prevention method. They need to be cleaned and maintained regularly to ensure they work effectively. If debris or silt is allowed to build up, the overall water capacity they can hold will reduce. If this happens, there is an increased risk of flooding as the excess water will overflow and be unable to drain away correctly. To prevent this, we have a silt buster in place. This cleans the collected water before it is released into the water course.

HS2 has completed a two-year project to rebuild a major road in west London – incorporating an improved section of the local highway into the high-speed rail scheme.

Carried by a new bridge over HS2, users of its 1.8m-wide footpaths will be able to glimpse high speed trains travelling at up to 200mph as they run between the line’s Copthall tunnel and the Colne Valley viaduct, which by then will be Britain’s longest rail bridge. The road was reopened on Friday 2 February 2024.

Harvil Road resurfacing by the London Borough of Hillingdon

We expect the London Borough of Hillingdon to resurface Harvil Road, between the junction with Swakeleys Road and HS2 Gate 1, this summer. There will be a full road closure in place 24/7 to complete this work.

Find out more

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:

Download our HS2 lorry routes in Hillingdon

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. Currently, 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 Highways 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 highway 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 highway and traffic authorities and the emergency services, which will include the requirement for protecting highways.  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 archaeology and 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. 

To ensure we keep residents updated on HS2 works in their local area, we undertake a range of engagement activities with the community. Examples of this engagement are detailed below.

• Notifying residents two weeks in advance of work taking place. These notifications are uploaded to our Interactive map, delivered by post and are emailed to subscribers.
• Door-knocks and pop-events to make residents aware of planned works, listen to their concerns and answer any questions they may have.
• A monthly meeting with elected representatives, the local authority and members of local residents associations.
• Our Visitor Information Hub is open twice a week, Monday and Wednesday, 2-4pm. 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/exit, cross the road and turn right until you reach the ‘West Portal’ sign.
• HS2 Hillingdon Newsletter. This is issued every four months and provides updates on our works and funding opportunities in your area.
• Public Information Events to update residents on key topics.
• Regular meetings with the London Borough of Hillingdon.
• Meetings with local businesses affected by our works.