MP Nick Hurd followed the lead of anti-HS2 campaigners and visited a Crossrail construction site to gain a better understanding of how HS2 will affect the borough.

The HS2 proposals for the West Ruislip tunnel portal are similar to a tunnel portal at Crossrail's Royal Victoria Dock in east London.

In May, a group made up of Hillingdon Against HS2 campaigners, members of Ruislip Residents' Association and Hillingdon Council officers were invited by HS2 to visit the site because it offered the closest example of what borough people can expect, with tunnel boring machines and a vent shaft, similar to one that will be built at the back corner of the Arla site in South Ruislip.

The Minister for Civil Society said community and construction managers from Crossrail talked him through issues that had arisen over the construction works with local people.

He said HS2 were on hand to talk through the specific proposals for West Ruislip and the differences and similarities between the two sites.

"The portal at Royal Victoria Dock is probably the only portal Crossrail have that is in such close proximity to a local community and is the most relevant in terms of seeing first hand the construction impact," Mr Hurd said.          

"I learnt a great deal from the visit and it gave me a good understanding of what to expect from the HS2 proposals.

"I had a productive meeting relating to noise assessments, traffic implications, lighting, construction works - both day and night - as well as how Crossrail approach working with the local community to ensure that there is as little disruption as can be to residents."

He added: "It is one thing to look at a map or mock ups, quite another to see the reality close up.

"It reinforced my long-standing view that we need to see the tunnel extended and Ickenham spared this disruption"           

The MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner helped Ickenham Residents' Association members to hand in their petitions against the high-speed line to parliament.

Homeowners in Ickenham will see huge disruption from construction sites and vehicles during the building of the HS2 line if it goes ahead.

Many people petitioned to extend the Northolt tunnel, which comes above ground in West Ruislip, to beyond the Colne Valley.