Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct Key Design Element (KDE) is a significant structure which will be located about 1.1 miles west of Lea Marston and is just north of Junction 9 of the M42 Motorway.The viaduct will cross over the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal after crossing the M42 Motorway to the south via the HS2 M42 'Marston Box' structure.

The importance of those who use the canal, including local walkers, will be integral to the context and design of this structure and we recognise the impact this new structure will have along this route. We want it to respect its surroundings and the local area and to help us develop the design of the viaduct, we are seeking to understand how best to use the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and the wider area. This includes considering:

The viaduct will be designed, detailed and constructed to be durable and low-maintenance for the 120-year design life of HS2.

View or download the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct information booklet

We would like you to tell us what you think about our proposals for the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct, your current experience of the canal and how you would like to use it in the future. There may also be an opportunity to make use of the space next to the viaduct pier(one of the supports) along the towpath of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and we would appreciate your views on this.

We will be holding an online information event or 'webinar' to discuss our plans for the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal viaduct on Tuesday 6 July, 12-1.15pm.

The closing date for the questionnaire is Friday 23 July 2021 .

We will carefully consider your views as part of our ongoing design process for the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct.

Our feedback will be published on the HS2 community website: www.hs2inwarwickshire.co.uk

We will also share what we’ve learned with the local planning authority and Warwickshire County Council to help them assess our final designs once we have submitted them for their approval later this year.

KDEs are structures along the route of the new railway that have been recognised to be important. This could be due to their size, proximity to stakeholders or their location within sensitive areas. The design for the viaduct has been developed with consideration for technical and structural requirements, as well as the impact on its surroundings.

A viaduct is a type of bridge, made up of multiple spans and connecting two points of terrain. On this project they will carry the high speed railway across valleys, rivers, roads and flood plains. Modern high speed trains travel at around four times the speed of Victorian trains so they require a flatter, straighter track, passing over and under the natural landscape. Modern viaducts have to cope with large longitudinal forces due to the braking and traction of high speed trains. They require stiff and strong supports, known as piers, to transfer the braking load forces from the train, which can be as much as a 770 tonnes load, to the foundations.

For more information about HS2 please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk