'Vomit-inducing smell from HS2 site is unbearable'

People living near construction for the HS2 high speed rail line have complained about "vomit-inducing" bad smells coming from the site.

Residents in Coleshill and Water Orton have told the BBC the "fishy" odour is often "unbearable".

MP Rachel Taylor said she had received numerous reports in recent days from residents complaining about being unable to open their windows, especially in heatwave conditions.

HS2 says the smells are not harmful to health and are linked to the storage and movement of excavated earth. It says it is taking people's concerns seriously, with odour diffusers tackling the problem. But Taylor says the steps the firm is taking are not making a difference.

Felicitas Freeman, who lives near the building zone for the new Bromford Tunnel, said the smells make her "gag".

She said: "It's like foul rotten eggs sometimes. Other times it's worse. It may not be poisonous, but it certainly affects our health.

"It gives you headaches. It makes you want to throw up. It makes you want to hide and you close your windows."

The odour is linked to the lime stabilisation process used to turn wet material into solid material that can safely be stockpiled and eventually reused, HS2 bosses said.

It is a common technique in the construction industry and is not harmful to human health, they explained.

The materials are stored in two stockpiles, with the main one south east of Water Orton, the firm added.

Water Orton villagers have complained previously about the effect the building of the new London to Birmingham high speed line is having on their homes.

Some have said the intensity of the work has caused cracks in their homes, others about the air quality.

They have also said they feel marooned by the works as two viaducts, which will carry trains over the River Tame, are built nearby,

The Bromford Tunnel, the longest rail tunnel to be built in the West Midlands at 5.8km (3.6 miles) between Water Orton and Washwood Heath in Birmingham has also been constructed.

Mist cannons have also been used alongside the odour diffusers, as well as a 4m (13.1ft) tall earth bund (embankment or soil wall) to help the issue.

But Taylor said: "This is just not good enough from HS2, residents deserve answers and action.

"You deserve confidence that everything possible is being done to minimise the foul odour that's ruining your summer."

Freeman explained she had "learned not to complain" because nothing happens.

"[But] the smell just hits you and the back of your throat and you feel that you want to sort of retch," she added.

A HS2 Ltd spokesperson said it had been transparent about the cause of the odour.

"While it poses no harm to human health, we recognise it may be unpleasant for those living nearby – particularly during the recent hot weather," they said.

"We treat residents' concerns seriously and are taking decisive action to mitigate this. We encourage anyone with concerns to contact us, as this helps to inform our own detailed investigations."

The HS2 project, first green lit in 2012, has been beset with difficulties.

It was originally envisaged to run from London to Birmingham with two separate lines then running to Leeds and Manchester. These lines have both been cancelled.

In March, the government ordered the company building the London to Birmingham route to consider lower speeds on the line to save money.

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