Funding for roads and woodlands on HS2 route

An additional £8m has been announced by HS2 Minister Nusrat Ghani to fund road improvements and create woodlands along the railway’s route between Birmingham and Crewe.

The HS2 Road Safety Fund will get £6.5m to deliver improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

£2m will be given to the HS2 Woodland Fund to help landowners along the route between Birmingham and Crewe plant new trees native to the area.

The Government has launched a Green Corridor project for HS2 to connect wildlife habitats and native woodlands the length of the route.

Ghani said: “HS2’s ‘Green Corridor’ is one of the most significant tree-planting and habitat creation projects ever undertaken in this country. That’s why the government is backing it with an additional £2 million for the Woodland Fund to support the creation of native woodland and restore existing ancient woodland sites between Birmingham and Crewe.

“We are also committed to putting in place a positive legacy of road safety improvements.”

HS2’s ‘Green Corridor’ will include 7m new trees and shrubs on Phase One of the railway – which runs from London to Birmingham – which will result in 9 sq km of new native woodlands.