在環保與保育團體反對聲浪中，英國運輸大臣葛林寧( Justine Greening )宣佈了將興建1條高速鐵路，從2026年起，提供更優質的乘載服務。
名為HS2的高速鐵路，將以時速高達250英里、每小時乘載26,000名旅客，利用Y字型的鐵路交通網串連倫敦、伯明罕、里茲、曼徹斯特、雪菲爾和英國中東部地區各站。
高速鐵路也會連接東西岸幹線，包括愛丁堡、格拉斯哥、紐喀索、杜爾罕、約克、戴靈頓、利物浦、普萊斯頓、韋根和蘭開斯特灣等各站，為這些地區乘客提供服務。
到2026年前，第一階段會興建連接倫敦和伯明罕、總長140英里的路線。海底路線的部分會由英吉利海峽隧道連接到歐洲大陸。
第二階段，預計2033年會完成路線串連伯明罕、里茲和曼徹斯特。2014年初會正式舉行第二階段路線諮詢會，並在年底確定最後興建的路線。
在倫敦西北部數英里遠的奇爾特地區，HS2穿越總長13英里的自然優美風景區(Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)。這地方原始，保有石灰岩緩丘(rolling chalk hills)、山毛櫸林(beechwoods)、片片原野和明徹小溪流瀉其中。
2011年10月14日，剛接下運輸大臣職位的保守黨國會議員葛林寧(Greening)回應說道，為了保護奇爾特地區的生態，大部分路線都會地下化，只有不超過2英里的路線，可以建在地面或以陸橋形式穿越奇爾特.
「向HS2說不」運動召集人喬伊魯金(Joe Rukin)則認為葛林寧口口聲聲說要保護環境，但明明建造更多的隧道，需要的幾處施工點就越大，花費的能源也就跟著大增，而且行駛隧道需耗費更多的能源，到後來只會擴大災害發生率，而且二氧化碳的濃度鐵定不減反增。
由相關對二氧化碳的研究報告中，足見興建HS2工程案，不太會增加二氧化碳濃度，也就是科學術語中的碳中和現象。
負責47處地方信託案的野生物信託(The Wildlife Trusts)對政府通過HS2興建案覺得遺憾，說道：「興建HS2一定會衝擊野生生物和週遭環境。」
野生物信託的研究結果中可以見得，興建倫敦到伯明罕的第一階段路線，會嚴重影響50種當地原生的原始林地，這些林地無法在他處存活，另外也影響貝希斯坦蝙蝠(Bechstein's bat)，俗稱鼠耳蝠，和黑髮紋湖蝶(black hairstreak butterfly)的棲地。
野生物信託組織生活願景部門的保羅威爾金森主任談道： 「葛林寧說政府承諾一定把興建HS2對野生物會造成的影響『降至最低』。」不過她所祭出的保護措施只在降低HS2的噪音，和保留環境區域視覺上的美觀，而改成隧道形式如此而已，治標不治本。改成隧道並不會因此保護了孱弱的棲地，而且建造過程中甚至更容易破壞棲地。這次協調結果，政府終於意識到興建HS2會影響野生物，而開始關注環境保護。」
HS2第一階段倫敦到伯明罕的興建工程，就影響了數個在地的保育信託的範圍。
倫敦有18處野生物保護區可能會受到不小的影響，包括1902年對外開放，英國第二古老的自然保留地--伊林(Ealing)的博利威自然保護區。
Britain will build a national high speed rail network providing new seating capacity and faster travel across the country from 2026, Transport Secretary Justine Greening announced Tuesday, over the objections of environmentalists and wildlife groups.
The high speed trains on the new Y-shaped rail network called HS2 will link stations in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and the East Midlands, moving up to 26,000 people an hour at speeds of up to 250 miles per hour.
High speed trains also will connect with the existing West Coast and East Coast main lines to serve passengers beyond the HS2 network in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Durham, York, Darlington, Liverpool, Preston, Wigan and Lancaster.
The first phase, to be built by 2026, will be a new 140 mile line between London and Birmingham and an undersea connection to the rest of Europe via the Channel Tunnel.
In the second phase due for completion by 2033, lines built from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester. A formal consultation on second phase routes will begin in early 2014 with a final route to be chosen by the end of 2014.
The HS2 route runs through 13 miles of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty a few miles northwest of London - an unspoiled area of rolling chalk hills, beechwoods, fields and clear streams.
Greening, a Conservative MP, who became Transport Secretary on October 14, 2011, announced that to mitigate the environmental impact on Chilterns, less than two miles of the route through this area will be at or above surface level and much of the line will run underground.
Joe Rukin, who is the co-ordinator of Stop HS2 Campaign, points out that the minister had said she was concerned about environmental damage, "but when she announced more tunnels for HS2 she upped the environmental damage, both due to now needing larger construction depots and the fact more energy and more energy is needed to run through tunnels. Now it is certain that HS2 will lead to an increase in carbon emissions."
Several reports have indicated that the project is likely to be roughly carbon neutral.
The Wildlife Trusts, representing 47 local trusts, expressed "disappointment" over the government's approval of HS2, saying, "Serious damage to wildlife and habitats is expected as a result of the route's construction."
Research by The Wildlife Trusts shows the route for HS2 phase one, to run from London to Birmingham, could threat includes 50 irreplaceable ancient woodlands and the habitat of rare species such as Bechstein's bat and black hairstreak butterfly."
Paul Wilkinson, head of Living Landscape for The Wildlife Trusts, said, "The Transport Secretary says Government is committed to the 'lowest feasible impact' on wildlife. Yet the mitigation measures announced focus on the noise and visual impact of HS2. They include tunnels in various locations. Tunnels will not necessarily prevent damage to fragile habitats - their construction could even make matters worse. It is vital that the impacts on wildlife are not overlooked yet again in this process."
Seven local wildlife trusts are affected by the route for HS2's phase one from London to Birmingham.
In London, over 18 wildlife sites could be adversely affected, including Perivale Wood in Ealing, Britain's second oldest nature reserve, which opened in 1902.
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