Update on HS2 as Bucks pledges to 'fight all the way'

LOCAL politicians, action groups and residents from all over Buckinghamshire sent a strong message to the government earlier this month that the fight against the proposed HS2 rail link carries on.

Sir Brian Briscoe, chairman of HS2 Ltd and Philip Graham, deputy director of the Department for Transport, came to present the case for HS2 at the HS2 Environmental Summit, held in Aylesbury on the 15th October, and faced tough and challenging questions from delegates.

At the summit, jointly organised by Buckinghamshire county and district councils, John Bercow, Buckingham's MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, summed up the feeling from the floor, saying: "There isn't any identifiable benefit to Bucks. They keep moving the goalposts from the business case to the the 'national interest'. It just won't do." He warned protesters, though, not to rely on emotion when arguing against the HS2 scheme, but stick to evidence-based argument.

Martin Tett, Buckinghamshire's Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, said: "The environmental case for HS2 just doesn't stack up. They want to quantify the 'national interest' but ignore the environmental costs. We made it clear to HS2 Ltd that we will fight this project all the way. We owe it to future generations to protect the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They will not forgive us if we fail.

"This scheme is Labour's legacy 'white elephant' and the Coalition should consign it to history."

The clock is now ticking, with the Secretary of State for Transport due to announce on the preferred route late this autumn. Consultation is then scheduled to start early 2011, with a government decision on the way forward being made late 2011. This will be followed by more detailed design and an Environmental Impact Assessment before being presented to Parliament as a Hybrid Bill. Work is scheduled to start 2015.

At the summit, held at Aylesbury Vale District Council's Oculus, there were presentations from Mark Bailey, BCC's Natural Environment team manager; Steve Rodrick from The Chilterns Conservation Board; George Lambrick, historic environmental consultant and Pete Raine, former chief executive of Kent Wildlife Trust. Each made clear the profound and irreversible impact HS2 would have on the heart of the Chiltern and Buckinghamshire countryside, blighting villages and communities.

Val Letheren, Buckinghamshire's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "This summit reinforces our commitment to a united fight against HS2, which as we have seen today is based on weak, unquantified and unquantifiable arguments. I very much welcome the support we've had today from our MPs, who I know will take our argument further. In the meantime, our battle carries on renewed."

Chiltern District Council's Leader Nick Rose, said: "If anyone doubted that we had a fight on our hands, today's summit has shown that if anything, we need to up our game. The arguments against HS2 are strong and logical and show no benefit to our local communities. We need the public with us to ensure the message gets through loud and clear to government."

Cllr John Cartwright, Leader of Aylesbury Vale District Council said: “We remain unconvinced that this project will bring about the perceived benefits that the Government seem to suggest it will, not only in terms of the economic business case, but also the suggested reduction in carbon emissions. "We will continue to challenge the promoters of the proposals to ensure that the views of the local communities are heard. We will press to have the opportunity to properly debate the relative merits of such a scheme and whether it’s really in the national interests.”

Lesley Clarke, Leader of Wycombe District Council, said: "The summit has yet again shown that this project has been very much ill-conceived with any major benefits for local people not even considered. The economics simply do not stack up, not to mention the devastation of both the local landscape and environment. Those who spoke very much demonstrated this. We fight on - and if we are unable to deflect Her Majesty's Government, then we must ensure we get the best deals and every benefit available for the local communities of Buckinghamshire."

Read more about HS2 on the Bucks County Council and Chiltern District Council websites.