The delivery of a new high-speed rail line in England has taken another step closer thanks to the completion of a new bridge.
Spanning 103 meters in length, the A418 overbridge near Hartwell has been designed to enable future operations of HS2, the country's upcoming rail route between London and the West Midlands, according to Rail Supply.
The HS2 project hasn't exactly gone smoothly. Initially proposed to connect London to Manchester and Leeds, budget issues saw the project stripped back. Only Phase 1, which runs from the nation's capital to Birmingham, will be completed.
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While it is undoubtedly unfortunate for those in the north of England, who continually get overlooked when it comes to investment in infrastructure, the route will still be important over the long term as it seeks to reduce the production of planet-warming pollution.
As the Guardian noted, HS2 has suggested its carbon-producing impact will be 8 grams per person, per kilometer. The same journey in a car would emit 67 grams, while this increases to 170 grams for plane travel.
Critics have suggested the construction of the rail line will produce more carbon than it saves over its expected 120-year lifespan. But HS2 points to the potential reductions in pollution achieved by reducing personal car journeys and adding freight to the network.
The introduction of this service is also expected to benefit other local train routes, freeing up otherwise full carriages and encouraging even more people to travel by rail.
There are also other transportation benefits being delivered as part of the project. In Hartwell, for example, Rail Supply noted the bridge construction has also enabled the delivery of expanded cycle paths, making it much easier for locals to swap polluting car journeys for bike rides.
HS2 anticipates the line will open in "the early 2030s." It will be interesting to see if the more pessimistic or optimistic outlook of its carbon-reducing potential is achieved as the U.K. aims for net zero emissions by 2050.
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