The information in the first three sections below has been gathered through an interview with Jagruti Mistry, Accounts Payable Supervisor at [Costain Skanska JV], who work as part of the HS2 project to deliver solutions to infrastructure.
MISSION GOALS
As outlined by the project brief, the goal of this mission is to safely get humans to Mars by the year 2040 with a budget of £100bn. This is a similar timescale and cost to the government project of High Speed 2, a high-speed rail network connecting London, the West Midlands, Manchester and Leeds. HS2 has been highly controversial and divisive due to the high cost and the question of necessity. Through our research, we endeavour to find out if the government could use the same money to explore the planet of Mars, allowing groundbreaking research and achievements for the human race.
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To ensure that the mission to Mars completes and exceeds the goals set out by the HS2 plan research has been conducted by Demi into what HS2 hopes to achieve. The information in the first three sections below has been gathered through an interview with Jagruti Mistry, Accounts Payable Supervisor at Costain Skanska JV, who work as part of the HS2 project to deliver solutions to infrastructure.
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TIMESCALE
What was the predicted timescale for the project from research to completion? Has this been adhered to?
The initial target time was for the project to be completed by 2033. This target has been adhered to so far, but anything can happen in that time. The project started in 2009 under the labour government, and we are about 50% through the projected timescale.
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What challenges have presented themselves in meeting this timescale?
COVID-19 (see further details below), environmental protestors (particularly those who are campaigning for Extinction Rebellion), funding: the project is costing a lot more than anticipated (see below), bad publicity/press.
BUDGET
What was the predicted budget for the project from research to completion? Has this been met or beaten?
The predicted budget was initialised in 2009 at £56bn but was updated more recently to £106bn. However, this keeps going up due to changes caused by unrealistic land valuations. Since initial land evaluation, there have been problems with digging and excavations, leading to higher costs for equipment and labour. This has used significantly more of the budget than expected and was the reason behind the necessary budget update.
COVID-19 IMPACT
How has COVID-19 affected the progress of the HS2 project?
The following extract is from an email addressed to employees at Costain Skanska, regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the company, and how they plan to move forward in order to continue development with the HS2 project.
“As a result of heightened restrictions announced by the Prime Minister last week, we have now reviewed all aspects of our operations, including the risk assessment and implementation of COVID-19 safe working procedures, in consultation with our clients to establish what work is able to continue and have set out what actions we will need to take if we cannot continue to work.
Unfortunately, while some of our critical activities can continue, many cannot as we are unable to adhere to the guidelines around restricted movement and social distancing. This means we will be taking action to adjust our workforce. We are in ongoing dialogue with all our clients to explore opportunities where our highly skilled and experienced team can further support them with many of their wider needs, and in preparing for an accelerated return to normal business. We are also taking ‘self-help’ measures to ensure Costain stays in the best possible shape to respond strongly once this unprecedented situation stabilises.”
- Alex Vaughan
Chief Executive Officer
Costain
SUSTAINABILITY
What challenges have been in place when meeting the needs for social, economic, and environmental sustainability with this project?
The sustainability goals, as outlined in the sustainability policy (HS2, 2020) for HS2 are outlined as follows:
Figure 1:The sustainability goals for the HS2 project, as outlined in their sustainability policy. These goals are a blueprint for those which must be adhered to for the mission to Mars also, in order to ensure the project meets the needs of today, whilst also benefiting those of the future. They aim to reflect economic, environmental and social sustainability.
In their sustainability policy, HS2 outlines that their priority is ensuring value is delivered to the UK taxpayer, and consumer, through making decisions which maximise value for money throughout the lifetime of the project and network.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
In their sustainability policy, HS2 outlines that their priority is ensuring value is delivered to the UK taxpayer, and consumer, through making decisions which maximise value for money throughout the lifetime of the project and network.
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Environmental sustainability (HS2, 2019) and management are one of the five sustainability goals for the HS2 project. These must also have significant consideration through planning and construction of the mission to Mars to ensure there is a minimum negative impact to both the environment, and quality of life. Through HS2’s environmental sustainability goals, and thus through the mission to Mars, it should be ensured that the following are both considered and managed appropriately:
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Biodiversity: Ensure there is no loss in biodiversity, by reducing impacts on natural habitats.
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Design: Ensure the landscaping is considerate towards neighbouring residential and industrial areas.
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Sound Pollution: Minimise sound pollution from construction to ensure there are no significant negative impacts on health.
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Carbon Footprint: Maximise use of low-carbon energy in order to deliver journeys with a low carbon footprint.
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Air Pollution: Ensure safe practice is maintained to avoid air pollution emissions, which could be harmful to both the public and the workforce if exposed.
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Flooding: Ensure careful infrastructure planning as not to damage natural water sources and ensure there is a lack of flood risk to local areas.
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Agriculture: Restore land and soils to their original condition if they have been altered through construction.
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Waste: Ensure waste is minimised by ensuring efficient use of recycled materials and diverting waste from landfill.
The research provided here was completed by Demi Mistry, for more information about her professional interests and project responsibilities check the WHO WE ARE page.
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REFERENCES
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HS2., (2020). HS2: Approach to Sustainability. [Viewed 17 December 2020]. Available from: https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/01150012/N57-Approach-to-Sustainability.pdf
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FURTHER READING​