Statement on the HS2 Ltd application for a route-wide injunction

Responding to the High Court approving HS2 Ltd and the Secretary of State for Transport’s application for a route-wide injunction along the route of Phases One and 2a of HS2 (subject to any appeal), Justice Knowles saying in his concluding remarks:

“I consider that the injunction sought strikes a fair balance between the rights of the individual protestors and the general right and interests of HS2 and others who are being affected by the protests, including the national economy” (p.64, paragraph 216.)

A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said:

“HS2 Ltd welcomes this Judgment and its approval of the route-wide injunction. As Justice Knowles makes clear, this injunction will not, and is not intended to, stop legitimate protest. Instead, we hope the injunction will prevent the violence, intimidation, and criminal damage these protests have frequently caused, harming the HS2 project and those working on it, and costing the UK taxpayer millions of pounds.

“The construction of HS2 is playing a vital role in Britain’s economic recovery from the pandemic, with almost 28,000 people already working on the project and tens of thousands of additional jobs supported through our supply chain. We urge everyone who cares about our natural environment to support a project that is providing work across the UK today, and in the future will get people out of cars, off planes and onto zero carbon rail travel.”