Cost of Bat Shed Exceeds £100 Million Amid No Evidence of Risk
- The construction of a bat protection structure for Bechstein's bats along the HS2 line costs over £100 million.
- Jon Thompson emphasized that there is no evidence of risk to bats from high-speed trains.
- The need for numerous permits has complicated the railway construction and significantly increased its costs.
At an industry conference, HS2 chair Jon Thompson revealed that a dedicated structure, colloquially referred to as a 'bat shed,' constructed to protect Bechstein's bats along the HS2 railway, has cost over £100 million. This 1 km-long mesh structure was mandated by Natural England to protect a species deemed at risk, despite Thompson's statement that there is no evidence showing that high-speed trains pose a threat to the bats. While the Bechstein's bat is classified as protected under the Wildlife Act, 1981, it is relatively common in northern and western Europe. Additionally, Thompson highlighted that the project faced significant bureaucratic hurdles, requiring over 8,000 various permits and consents from multiple public bodies, which slowed down the progress and escalated costs. Legal and environmental complexities in obtaining permissions contributed significantly to HS2's growing budget, which, according to recent estimates, might lead to a total cost overrun between £10 billion and £20 billion, affecting the overall financial outlook of the HS2 project.