Anti-HS2 campaigners are unlikely to drop their placards in delight at Government concessions on noise that will leave just ten properties seriously affected.

These ten could experience noise levels over 73dB, with another 150 also eligible for noise insulation because they could experience noise levels over 68dB, down from 1,400.

Another 4,700 could notice an increase in noise, but this is down from 24,300 originally estimated.

Many of the anti-HS2 campaigners have become experts on the topic, rather than the closed-minded ‘nimbys’ of popular imagination within the rail industry. Their arguments are now firmly grounded in tackling the economic case for high-speed rail and the Government’s allegedly misplaced rail infrastructure priorities, rather than house prices or spoilt views.

As such, concessions by the Government on individual areas of concern – and we have already seen changes to the route and plans to plant thousands of trees, on top of this noise announcement – will be very unlikely to win them over.