The Guardian newspaper has issued a series of corrections and clarifications relating to a recent article about the controversial HS2 high-speed rail project. The amendments address factual inaccuracies concerning the cost of the earlier HS1 line, the specific wildlife a tunnel is designed to protect, and the function of a railway station.
Revised Figures for High-Speed Rail Costs
In a piece published on 16 December, titled 'We hate it': the real cost of HS2, the newspaper initially stated that the cost of the HS1 line, which connects London to the Channel Tunnel, was £51 million per mile. This figure has now been corrected. The publication cites a government-commissioned report from 2015, which placed the final cost at approximately £90 million per mile. It is important to note that this revised figure excludes the additional expense of remodelling London's King's Cross St Pancras station.
Clarifications on Wildlife and Infrastructure
Further details in the article required clarification. The so-called "bat tunnel" at Sheephouse Wood was described as being for the protection of the barbastelle bat. The Guardian has clarified that this dedicated tunnel is in fact designed to safeguard the habitat of the rare Bechstein's bat, a species with distinct conservation needs.
Additionally, the role of Aylesbury Vale Parkway station was mischaracterised. The correction confirms that this station is not a stop on the Chilterns line service running from London to Birmingham. Instead, it serves as the terminus of the Chilterns line between London and Aylesbury.
Ongoing Commitment to Accuracy
The publication listed these amendments alongside other recently corrected articles, which covered topics from protests in Portland to World Health Organisation advice on face masks. This routine corrections column underscores the newspaper's editorial process for addressing errors.
The Guardian has provided clear channels for readers to submit complaints or request corrections. These can be sent via email to guardian.readers@theguardian.com, by post to the Readers' editor at Kings Place in London, or by leaving a voicemail on +44 (0) 20 3353 4736.
