Schools sitting on HS2 route face disruption

Hayes Meadow Primary in Handsacre and Colwich Primary are both situated next to a nine-mile stretch of the West Coast Main Line which is going to be overhauled as part of the £50 billion project.

The full repercussions of the work are not known but Staffordshire County Council is to work with both schools to make sure children's education or heath is not disrupted.

Hayes Meadow Primary School is within 65ft of the construction work and an environmental assessment by HS2 Ltd states the work could affect quality due to an increase in traffic.

It states: "The magnitude of impact will be slight adverse at Hayes Meadow Primary School as it will be within 20 metres of dust-generating construction activities." It adds: "The Hayes

Meadow Primary School will have significant adverse visual effects during construction but will not experience significant noise effects."

The Victorian Grade II listed Colwich Church of England Primary School is located south of the railway track.

The report highlights the visual impact the school will suffer.

It states: "There are views of the railway from the rear parking area of the school. From this area, there will be views of the crane platform for a short period of time while the existing signal gantries are removed and new signal gantries are installed. The crane platform will be removed once the signal gantries are installed and the area will be returned to its original condition. No effects will arise from installation of a temporary crane platform in this location."

The West Coast Main Line from Little Haywood to Lichfield will undergo a series of changes to help it join up with the HS2 line.

New signalling equipment to control train movements, track alignment alterations, some crossovers to allow trains to switch tracks, and some minor alterations to overhead line electrification will be carried out.There will also be the additon of various roads.