Siemens Mobility joins a growing list of complainants against HS2

Phase One of the HS2 project will see a new high speed line constructed from Euston to Birmingham. Credit: Grimshaw Architects

Awareness and understanding are very welcome side effects of implementing and using this technology.

A judicial review by the 51m group, made up of local councils impacted by the proposals, was one of five heard by The Royal Courts in a seven day period in late 2012. Councils such as Camden argued that the proposals would cause £1bn in damage, including the potential demolition of 500 homes in the borough alone. The court ruled in the Government’s favour in all but one of the challenges, effectively giving the green light for HS2 to commence.

HS2 Action Alliance, an umbrella group for more than 70 local associations, brought a compensation case against HS2, arguing that the project would negatively affect homeowners along the route and that the consultation process had lacked enough detail on compensation arrangements. The judge deemed this ‘unlawful’, forcing the public consultation process on compensation to be reopened.

Talgo launched legal action over what it claims was a ‘botched’ procurement process. Due to claimed breach of procurement laws, the manufacturer called for the process to be scrapped and restarted. Talgo and HS2 reached an out of court settlement in June 2021, ending the three-year dispute.

Sydney & London Properties launched a £500m lawsuit against HS2 after it was forced to sell properties as part of a compulsory purchase order. The property investor claimed the purchase price of £200m had failed to consider the area’s redevelopment potential. The lawsuit was withdrawn in March 2021 after the two parties reached an undisclosed agreement, thought to be less than the £500m Sydney & London Properties initially sought.

Engineering firm Bechtel launched legal action against HS2 after losing out on a £1.1bn contract to build Old Oak Common station in West London. Bechtel claimed the winning Balfour JV bid was “abnormally low” and that it ought to have been awarded the contract had HS2 conducted the evaluation properly. In March 2021, a judge dismissed the claims, ruling the BBVS bid was within the expected range and deeming the decision to have been fair.

Euston homeowner Hero Granger-Taylor was granted permission to bring a judicial review against HS2 over proposed tunnels near Euston station. Granger-Taylor claimed the tunnels would ‘endanger the lives and properties of residents nearby’ by causing vulnerability to above-ground structures. The judge sided with HS2, stating that evidence did not suggest the tunnel design was so flawed that an engineering solution could not be found.

Naturalist and television personality Chris Packham launched a legal challenge against HS2, claiming the UK Government had failed to consider carbon emissions and climate impact when approving the project. The campaigner claimed the project will destroy close to 700 wildlife sites, including 100 ancient woodlands – a figure disputed by HS2. The High Court refused an emergency injunction and judicial review, deciding there was “no real prospect of success”.

Legal action brought by Mark Keir from the Earth Protector Communities organisation on ecological grounds saw the felling of trees in the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty paused after protestors were granted the right to apply for a judicial review. The decision was later overturned by a High Court judge due to the high cost of further delays to the HS2 project, enabling work in the area to recommence.

The Siemens Mobility lawsuit is the latest to hit the HS2 project regarding the rolling stock procurement process. Few details have been confirmed, but the lawsuit comes with Siemens Mobility expected to lose out on the £2.75bn contract.