Hillingdon Council and campaign group HS2 Action Alliance (HS2AA) have lost their latest legal challenge to HS2.

The campaigners accused the government of unlawfully failing to carry out a strategic environmental assessment (SEA).

They said such an assessment might help to alleviate problems being caused to local people and businesses.

They argued that an SEA was required before 'safeguarding directions' could be made by the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

Safeguarding is designed to protect land which has been earmarked for major infrastructure, in this case HS2 , from conflicting developments which might otherwise occur.

The campaigners said the directions were fatally flawed and should be quashed.

Some of the land could be included without any proper debate or assessment of environmental impacts or alternative options, they argued.

But three Court of Appeal judges unanimously rejected the challenge.

Lord Justice Longmore, Lord Justice Sullivan and Lord Justice Lewison ruled that an SEA was not required before the safeguarding directions could be made.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin

After the ruling, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said HS2 opponents - who have mounted a series of legal challenges to the scheme - should work with the government on HS2 and end "costly and fruitless court cases".