Birmingham Museums Trust warns HS2 could threaten 640,000 artefacts
by Chris Dodd | 12 Jun 2014
The Trust has raised concerns about the impact on the Thinktank science museum / Elliot Brown
Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) has told MPs that its collections could be put at a substantial safety risk during the construction and operation of the High Speed Two (HS2) rail link.
The line, which will see London connected to Birmingham, has come under scrutiny in a petition from the Trust, which has stated that given the close proximity of the line, both its construction and use could send damaging vibrations towards 640,000 of its artefacts held in the city’s Museum Collection Centre (MCC).
As well as the artefacts, the centre is home to radioactive material and a large firearms collection guarded by high-level security, with the Trust claiming that it would have to move its collections if the development went ahead as planned.
“BMT believes that the construction of HS2 presents such risks to the safety of the collection that the only available option is to relocate the Museum Collection Centre,” said the Trust.
The construction of the first phase of the line is due to take place in 2017, with the Trust also suggesting building work could have a detrimental impact on the daily operations of the Thinktank science museum.
BMT is not the first organisation to raise concerns about the impact of HS2 towards existing attractions and leisure offerings, with the National Trust (NT) also anxious about the impact of phase two of the line, which will see Birmingham connected to Manchester and Leeds.
The NT raised concerns in 2012 about the possible impact of the development on its properties at Hartwell House, Waddesdon Manor and Claydon House.
Despite concerns, those in favour of HS2 have argued that the line will generate £59.8bn in user benefits when the entire network is completed, as well as £13.3bn in wider economic benefits, with HS2 helping to directly link some of the country’s most financially and culturally important regions.
Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) has told MPs that its collections could be put at a substantial safety risk during the construction and operation of the High Speed Two (HS2) rail link. The line, which will see London connected to Birmingham, has come under scrutiny in a petition from the Trust, which has stated that given the close proximity of the line, both its construction and use could send damaging vibrations
HAM
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