The parliamentary committee responsible for discussing petitions against the HS2 Hybrid Bill has today (Thursday, June 12) set out its programme for hearings.

The High Speed Rail Bill Select Committee will begin hearing petitions against HS2 next month.

Almost 2,000 petitions were submitted by individuals and organisations across the country, including many across west London, calling for mitigation from the effects of HS2 should the project go ahead.

The committee said it will work geographically and begin hearing petitions from Birmingham and then work its way broadly north to south.

Petitions from local authorities will be heard first in each locality, starting with county councils, followed by district and unitary councils, then parish and town councils, then community groups, other public bodies, businesses and finally petitions from individuals.

Nick Hurd MP (centre) meets with members of Ickenham Residents' Association as they hand over anti-HS2 petitions for him to take to Parliament

Chair of the committee, MP Robert Syms, said Environmental matters will receive due attention, but petitions for or against a link between HS2 and the High Speed 1 rail line will not be heard.

He also asked HS2 Ltd to make sure that petitioners will be able to communicate with them easily.

He said: "Given that many petitioners may not feel comfortable with the complex email system, we strongly urge HS2 to offer alternative ways for petitioners to communicate with them if they prefer, including normal email and post.

"The committee expect HS2 petition response documents to contain a full and fair summary of specific points at issue."

He also requested that petitioners be given fair notice of when they will be called to speak to the committee about their petition.

"The committee strongly encourages HS2 agents to arrange the petition programme to allow for at least four weeks notice of hearings to petitioners, unless there are exceptional reasons for not giving such notice," he said.

Hearings will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during July and the first three weeks in September, as well as at other times of recess in parliament if necessary.

After a suggestion made by Stop HS2 campaigns manager Joe Rukin, an expert on noise, who lives in the middle of the route, will be heard early on in the petition hearing process in view of his expertise.

Stop HS2 campaigners at the Labour Party conference in Brighton in September 2013

Sittings will take place in London, but visits by the committee to parts of the route around the country will be made.

A programme for July has now been published on the committee's website, committee meetings to be held in September will be published next month.

The next public meeting of the committee will be held on July 1, when HS2 will make its opening address.