Sector Focus
Business Travel
New partnership plans to minimise HS2 disruption
En route to Heaven: Ho-Pin Tung’s Range Rover
Car conquers Dragon Road
A dizzying 99 turns and 999 daunting steps didn’t stop the new Range Rover Sport PHEV from completing a world-first at one of China’s most famous landmarks. The petrol-electric
performance sports utility vehicle (SUV) has become the first vehicle to climb the stairs to the natural rock arch of Heaven’s Gate. The challenge began at the
bottom of the legendary 11.3km Tianmen Mountain Road, known as the Dragon Road. The showroom standard
Range Rover Sport P400e took on the demanding course, with Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Ho- Pin Tung behind the wheel and the Terrain Response 2 system in Dynamic mode. At the summit of the road,
the Formula E driver optimised Terrain Response for the second part of the challenge, conquering the towering 45- degree staircase of 999 steps
leading to China’s legendary Heaven’s Gate using a combination of Ingenium petrol and electric battery power. Ho-Pin Tung said: “The
Range Rover Sport PHEV performed brilliantly as it inspired real confidence on the mountain road and climbed the stairs up to Heaven’s Gate effortlessly.” The new PHEV powertrain
gives the Range Rover Sport a zero-emission EV range of up to 50km when fully charged but Ho-Pin Tung used its advanced 300PS Ingenium petrol engine and 116PS electric motor to make short work of the road section of the challenge. Phil Jones, Land Rover Experience expert, said: "By making it to the summit, we’ve proven the phenomenal capability of the Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid like never before – with a genuine world first.”
66 CHAMBERLINK April 2018
Rail thing: Work on the HS2 line is expected to start next year
Political and transport leaders have met on a mission to keep the Midlands moving during the huge HS2 construction programme. Transport minister Jesse Norman, Mayor of the West
Midlands Andy Street, Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan, HS2 chief executive Mark Thurston, Martin Frobisher, route managing director of London North Western for Network Rail, and representatives from the Department for Transport all came together for the inaugural meeting of the Resilience Partnership. Held at the offices of the West Midlands Combined
Authority (WMCA) in Birmingham, the group discussed how to keep the West Midlands open for business and support growth during the extended HS2 construction period. Work on the line between London and Birmingham is
expected to begin in early 2019, with some preparation works in 2018. The first trains are scheduled to run in 2026. Construction of the line and the stations will be a
massive operation that will entail building a number of crossings over existing rails and roads.
There is potential for significant disruption on the
regional motorway and road networks during this time. The Resilience Partnership has been set up to do
this, as well as develop a template for collaboration for other major investment programmes on a similar scale.
‘HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail network, and improve vital connections’
Mr Norman said: “We are keen to do what we can to minimise disruption from construction works. “HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail
network, and improve vital connections between eight of the ten biggest cities in our country.” Mr Street said: “HS2 will be worth billions to the
West Midlands economy once complete but to build it is going to be a massive undertaking. “That is why it is so important that all the bodies
involved come together to plan how best to cause minimum disruption and keep the region moving.”
Blenheim drives green initiative
Blenheim Palace has unveiled the first of a fleet of new electric vehicles as part of its commitment to become a net green energy generator. The Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site took
delivery of a Nissan e-NV200 which will be used as an operations van around the estate. In March, two new Nissan LEAF cars will also be
delivered as part of an ongoing commitment to radically reduce carbon emissions. “We were delighted to be able to deliver one of our
all-electric vans to Blenheim and we are looking forward to working with them going forward as they look to develop their fleet,” said Karl Anders, national EV manager, Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. Blenheim is working with Nissan to gradually replace
its existing fleet of petrol-driven vehicles with fully- electric alternatives. This initiative is part of a huge overall plan which is looking at every aspect of the estate. “As well as reducing our consumption by implementing wide-ranging, energy-saving programmes across the estate we are also producing renewable energy through our investments in solar cell technology and hydro-electricity,” said Jacqueline Gibson, sustainability advisor for Blenheim Palace.
Going green: Jacqueline Gibson “This year we’re aiming to generate around 15 per
cent of our energy this way and we are planning to become totally energy self-sufficient within nine years,” she added. In addition to the new electric vehicles, Blenheim is
also planning to install charging points at its new estate office and outside the palace itself, as well establishing a green car pool for staff, building new cycle paths and improving use of public transport links by offering
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