This act frees up cash for essential preparatory work, including construction design, on Phase One and Phase Two of HS2 and all future phases of a high speed rail network.
It also provides reassurance to continue making compensation payments to those affected by the route.
Following this success, a separate hybrid Bill will be introduced into Parliament for its first reading on Monday. This will ultimately give government the powers to construct and operate the railway.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This is a major milestone in the HS2 project.
“The new north-south railway needs cross party backing, so I am very pleased that MPs representing constituencies across the country and Peers from all three main parties have again given a clear signal of support.
“Receiving Royal Assent for this act on schedule provides the public and businesses further reassurance of our determination to drive forward and deliver HS2 as quickly as possible.”
Paving Act frees spending on:
- undertaking more detailed design work
- letting contracts for designing the construction of the line
- designing the realignment of existing railway
- planning the movement of utilities
- carrying out ground investigation and ecological surveys
- making compensation payments to homeowners
