Pam and Stuart Davis wade through some of the pile of documents and maps on Friday that were deposited in Ickenham library by HS2 Ltd.

As part of the consultation period on the Hybrid Bill and Environmental Impact Survey published last week, which ends on January 24, the survey has been released so that people living close to the line to see how it would affect their community and respond – if they can face the form filling and want to pay the £20 to make a petition to Parliament.

Each section of the report – there are two for this area: South Ruislip to Ickenham and the Colne Valley – is dozens of pages long with numerous maps that all have to be interpreted.

Copies have been placed in Harefield library in Park Lane, South Ruislip library in Victoria Road and Ickenham library in Long Lane.

Librarians are also ready to help anyone who wishes to view the material online, and it can be accessed at www.hs2.org.uk/hs2-phase-one-hybrid-bill.

Christine Leonard of Hillingdon Against HS2 (HAHS2) was in Ickenham library this morning (Friday) shortly after the documents arrived.

She said there had been a steady trickle of people coming to look at them.

"The one thing people are saying is: 'Can't we take this?'" she said.

"Many people aren't online, and to go into the library and to take time to go into the library and digest that ... it's an awful lot."

There is further advice and explanatory documents about the bill on the HAHS2 website.