BUILDING the high speed rail link between London and the north of England could lead to some plant species becoming endangered while emission savings from the high-speed rail scheme are likely to be "relatively small at best", according to a report by MPs.
Better safeguards needed to be implemented if harmful environmental impacts of HS2 were to be minimised, the report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee said.
The MPs said that Parliament, in its capacity as the planning authority for the high-speed rail project, should also ensure that everything possible was done to minimise damage to ancient woodlands and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Where loss was genuinely unavoidable, compensation should be applied to the fullest extent possible.
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