I believe that HS2 is a vital project for the UK; one that will not only promote economic growth, but also drive regional regeneration and support job creation. I sat on the Bill Committee for the HS2 Bill and am pleased to have played an important part in its passage through Parliament. It is therefore something from which we in Bath will certainly benefit. HS2 will provide the capacity we need across the country by trebling the number of seats into Euston in peak time and almost doubling the number of trains on the West Coast mainline corridor. With that said, it is important that we ensure that the project strikes the right balance between the needs of affected communities and the environment. The long-term needs of the country as a whole has been at the heart of the Government's approach to HS2.
Ministers remain committed to mitigating as many of the environmental effects of HS2 as possible and construction of HS2 aims to deliver no net loss in biodiversity. HS2 has worked with DEFRA and Natural England to develop a metric to measure losses and gains in habitats. Over two million trees will be planted for habitat creation and screening as part of HS2 Phase 1. Planting will reflect local landscapes, including broad-leaved woodland, shrubs and hedgerow.
HS2 Ltd has also committed to setting up an independent Ecology Review Group. This group will have regular access to the monitoring data from new planting sites and will be invited to comment on progress and suggest any improvements. Members of the Ecology Review Group will include local authorities and nature conservation NGOs such as the Woodland Trust.