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The route would then pass between the grounds of the National Agricultural centre (NAC) and Stoneleigh village, resulting in it passing through Stoneleigh National Park and Garden. The route would be at ground level, but would pass over the River Sowe and one of its tributaries. It might be possible to re-align the route through the grounds of the NAACP, severing it, or requiring a cut-and cover tunnel to avoid permanent severance.

The route would pass over the A46 near the Stoneleigh junction. The alignment would not have enough clearance to pass below the A46 as the alignment would be either on viaducts or above ground prior to this section, due to the geographical location of a series of flood plain between Cubbington and Stoneleigh. Alternatively, it would include a long and deep tunnel option that would be very costly.

The route would then cross over Finham brook, the Leamington – Kenilworth – Coventry railway line, and the A429.

In order to run north of Crackley, the route would not follow the dismantled rail corridor on the eastern boundary of Kenilworth, but would cut through the birches Wood Farm area and Broadwells Wood. It would then join the alignment of Route 3, passing through a constricted gap in property at Burton Green, joining the existing dismantled railway corridor there.

On the approach to the M42 transport corridor, the proposed alignment was placed to avoid multiple crossings of the meandering River Blythe (SSSI) and avoid disruption to Berkswell Station which serves the existing Birmingham to Coventry Railway. In order to achieve speeds of 400kph and accommodate a desirable Birmingham Interchange Station, there was little flexibility in terms of alignment through this area.

East of Berkswell Station, the alignment would diverge away from the existing disused railway corridor and would cross the Birmingham to Coventry Railway Line north of Balsall common and Berkswell Station on a 50m bridge, 8m high. The alignment would miss the lakes adjacent to the station and would then roughly follow the A452 as far as middle Bickenhill. A major permanent diversion of the A452 would be required east of Hampton in Arden to lift the road over the route, as this would be less costly and intrusive than lifting the HS2 route over the road.

The existing A45 would need to be raised by about 3m, with a new over bridge to enable HS2 to approach Birmingham Interchange Station at-grade. Elevating the railway over the A45 would result in the entire station being elevated with substantial embankment works and elevated throats at both station ends. This would be considerably more costly than the current proposed option.

Extract from HS2 Report (March 2010)