HS2 - Local & National News
Compiled with the aid of Andrea Polden's daily HS2 News digest
For National HS2 news, visit the Stop HS2 News pages,
the Google HS2 news feed,
& the Stop HS2 "TV station" on YouTube
25-Dec-2019
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year (if its cancelled)
from HS2 Amersham Action Group
24-Dec-2019
HS2 Review Group reformed
The newly re-formed HS2 Review Group – which consists of veteran and recently elected Tories, some seated in Labour’s “red wall” – wrote to the PM on Saturday requesting meetings with him and the transport secretary “as a matter of urgency”.
“As One Nation Conservatives, we need to restore public trust in the process of government and the way we spend taxpayers’ money,” the letter said. “HS2 is widely seen as a project that is beset by problems, consistently running over time and over budget. (Independent , Mix96 )
HS2 has never been more likely to be cancelled than it is right now, but that doesn’t mean the fight is over: we’ve got a couple of things you could do in the next few days...
20-Dec-2019
Would you like a Train Set for Christmas ?
Extinction Rebellion, Chris Packman and other campaigners will deliver a toy replica of the high-speed train to 10 Downing Street.A snip at £100bn ...
19-Dec-2019
Rob Butler requests a meeting with Grant Shapps
"As we discussed, HS2 is the number one local issue in my constituency. It was constantly raised on the doorstep as a major point of concern and anxiety. Neither my constituents nor I believe there is a credible economic or environmental case for HS2. " ( Mix96, Bucks Herald )
HS2 Ltd denies watering down environmental pledges
HS2 Ltd has insisted that it has not changed any of its environmental commitments... The new document omits some pledges and uses weaker language on others. (TransportNetwork )
18-Dec
HS2 apologises to wildlife trust
HS2 has apologised to the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) for undertaking work on the Calvert Jubilee nature reserve without permission.
On December 6, HS2’s contractors Fusion moved into areas of the nature reserve with chainsaws and begun clearance works without giving any notice.
“After further investigation it has become clear that this was based on incorrect information, and this work took place on BBOWT land." (Buckingham Today)
A different route is going to be used for an HS2 haul road (At Chalfont St Peter)
HS2 Ltd had originally planned to use Chesham Lane, Denham Lane and Joiners Lane as their construction route, but this is unsuitable because of its proximity to Robertswood School, Montessori Nursery School, the Epilepsy Society and Woodland Manor Care Home.
However, now the contractors have looked at the detailed design and agreed the alternative haul road would be a better, safer solution. (Mix 96, Bucks Free Press ) ( See also Dec03 below )
HS2 uncertainty ‘puts investment at risk
Metro mayor Andy Street, a panellist on the Oakervee Review, has called for the government to commit to the project. (Construction News)
16-Dec-2019
HS2 clearance of Calvert Jubilee nature reserve
“Whilst HS2 would say they have a legal right to enter our reserve and clear areas of rich wildlife habitat, we would have expected them to inform us that they were planning to move in with chainsaws imminently, rather than us find out from concerned members of the public." (Bucks Herald)
13-Dec-2019
Election Roundup
Boris Johnson is facing fresh opposition to HS2, from new Conservative MPs who have laid down markers that they will oppose the scheme. (Daily Telegraph)
"It is a big challenge to stop HS2 but I think I can prove the business case is not there and the environmental damage destruction it brings is unacceptable." (Greg Smith, Buckingham Advertiser, Bucks Herald )
So what do some of our leading politicians and activists think the General Election result means for the North Bucks countryside? (Buckingham Advertiser)
New (Aylesbury) MP Mr Butler says he will stand on the side of the people of Aylesbury, and oppose the scheme fully in Parliament. (Bucks Herald)
11-Dec-2019
Boris Johnson secretly briefed on £100bn HS2 cost
The prime minister was given a briefing on the true cost of the project by Oxford University’s Said Business School this autumn, senior transport sources have revealed. (New Civil Engineer)
Boris Johnson appeared to raise a red flag over major infrastructure projects
Asked about HS2, Johnson also appeared to signal reluctance to press ahead with the high speed rail link between London and Birmingham. He put the budget for the project at £100bn – far above current estimates.
Challenged on this disparity, Johnson said: “I think it will probably come in somewhat north of £100bn. You’re right it’s currently budgeted at £88bn – that is an awful lot of money.” As a result it was “sensible” to ask how the money was being spent, he added
“We’ve got a review going on to look at whether the money could be better spent".
(City AM)
09-Dec-2019
Work and protests start at Calvert Jubilee
HS2 protesters in North Bucks have again been mobilised this week after it was revealed that the Calvert Jubilee nature reserve is being cleared without prior notice.( Bucks Herald, Mix96 )
and in Denham Country Park -
Protected wildlife, established woodlands and rare wetlands in Denham Country Park (DCP) and surrounding areas of Buckinghamshire are being decimated by HS2 Ltd as the government rushes to ‘get HS2 done’ while threatening peaceful protesters with arrest (Stop HS2)
03, 08-Dec-2019
Protests in Chalfont St Peter
Early morning commuters were met by HS2 protesters on Tuesday on the A413 between Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter amid fears over a planned new road. (connecting the Vent Shaft site directly to the A413) ( Bucks Free Press , Mix96 )
In this case, the proposed access represents an improvement on the original HS2 proposal. The traffic will arrive at the A413 in any event (unless the project is cancelled), and the access road takes it off residential streets passing the School and Epilepsy centre.
02-Dec-2019
Arrests in Denham
Police are at the scene today in Court Drive Denham as HS2 workers begin to fell ancient trees. Protesters have been threatened with arrest, and we are told that at least one protester has been arrested today. (Bucks Herald, Mix96 )
25-Nov-2019
What do they promise for HS2 ?
20-Nov-2019
Protestors from the Wildlife Protection Camp at Harvil Road said they were taking action to try and prevent the 'illegal pollution of the EU protected water zone by test pile driving by HS2'.
Boris Johnson hopes to reduce HS2 costs
He wants to reduce the bill for HS2 but that he would "hesitate before simply scrapping" the rail project.
The prime minister said the government would check the money invested in the multi-billion pound scheme was being spent efficiently, before simply cancelling the project. (ITV)
9-Nov-2019
Design for HS2 viaducts revealed
Both viaducts are between the Chilterns tunnel portal at South Heath and Wendover.
Part of the plans will be the 'Wendover Green Tunnel' and HS2 say it will be an added feature to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. (Mix96)
(Actually 'Revealed' at community events - Wendover, 24 Sep / Ballinger, 17 Oct - but tucked away here on Bucks Commonplace, rather than on the Wendover page and without a notification being sent out)
8-Nov-2019
Crossrail - Late & Over budget
The funding envelope for the whole project, including Network Rail’s costs, is £17.8bn but the projected increase will take this beyond £18bn.
The lastest announcement pushes the deadline back as well, with a view to completing the project at some point in 2021. ( TransportNetwork )
Couldnt happen to HS2 ??
5-Nov-2019
Steeple Claydon - who is trespassing ?
The leader of an anti-HS2 campaign group from Steeple Claydon has accused HS2 of trespassing and criminal damage ( BucksHerald )
31-Oct-2019
The Chilterns Tunnel will require 6-10million litres of water /day, used to transport the chalk slurry from the cutting face back down the tunnel to the portal at the M25. Affinity Water "have informed HS2 that we are unable to meet their current water requirements for tunnelling operations” - unsurprising, given the current state of the Chalk Streams in the AONB.
"This Government are committed to taking action to protect and enhance the water environment, including our valuable chalk streams." (Rebecca Pow, replying to a question from Cheryl Gillan)
Woodlands and Preparatory Works
Can the destruction be halted ?
-
CAMPAIGNERS who fear HS2 will wreck the countryside say work should stop until a major report is published on whether the rail network should go ahead. (Express)
- Ancient Woodland saved from HS2 - for the time being (Country Life)
- ‘It’s an enormous act of ecological vandalism’ (Grauniad)
- Protest camp set up in Cubbington Woods (BBC)
- Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has ordered HS2 Ltd to halt clearances of ancient woodland (Ecologist, pbc today )
Great Missenden Link Road
Link Road Widening Scheme threatens Trees
- Victory - Trees will be saved, Cones removed; HS2 will come up with a better scheme (BFP, Herald , BCC , StopHS2 )
- Monday morning - Old Bill turn up in numbers ( BFP, Mix96, Herald)
- There are worries about whether emergency services can get in and out of Great Missenden (Mix96)
- Protesters have pitched up at the site where HS2 is due to begin work tomorrow ( BucksFreePress, BucksHerald, BBC )
- " HS2 works are going ahead " - Mark Shaw, Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member, said:
“We pressed the Government to cease HS2 preliminary works in the county pending the outcome of the Oakervee review, and we also urged a stop to the works in Great Missenden" (Mix96)
- Dame Cheryl has now weighed in on the debate, saying the road widening work needs to be halted until the outcome of the HS2 review (Bucks Free Press)
- Residents Petition against road widening
- HS2 Works Notice
18-Oct-2019
HS2 Residents Commissioner
Report 12 published
17-Oct-2019
The death of the high-speed express ?
How have we spent £7 billion on a railway that might never be built? Tonight has travelled the country looking for answers. (ITV, BirminghamLive )
14-Oct-2019
I am not sure quite how it has taken us a further four weeks to get to this point, but all involved have worked hard to put together a 'bundle' which is not too long or too dull, but on solid grounds and sufficiently factual. We are satisfied with the result and now must wait three to four months for the judge who receives it in chamber to decide whether my case can go through to a court hearing. (Crowdjustice)
09-Oct-2019
Don't Railroad it Through
As HS2 continues to run substantially over budget and fail to meet deadlines, rail expert Adrian Quine argues for a rethink on the UK’s rail policy. Ahead of the planned review to HS2, he writes for the Adam Smith Institute and sets out a number of less costly alternatives to the failed project — including upgrading existing routes with new signalling, doubling the number of tracks, reopening mothballed lines, and timetable redesigns.
Comment - StopHS2, NorthWest Mail, ChronicleLive
06-Oct-2019
On time and on (which) budget ?
HS2 bill up to £88billion as completion date slips to 2040 (The Railway Hub )
01-Oct-2019
Search Me - Grant Schapps
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said he doesn’t know how much the controversial High Speed Two (HS2) project currently costs.(City AM)
28-Sep-2019
Chris Packham plans ‘forest’ for Euston
Wildlife show presenter wants to lay down dozens of pots with trees and plants across the station concourse on September 28. (Camden New Journal, XR ) Reports, CNJ, ITV & Daily Mail
& threatens Grant with legal action -
Naturalist Chris Packham has notified the transport secretary of legal action should it continue to permit ancient woodland clearance before the outcome of the HS2 review.
Leigh Day solicitors, acting for Packham, sent Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, a Pre-Action Protocol letter "requesting the cessation of the HS2 enabling works pending the outcome of the Government review announced on 21 August 2019".
26-Sep-2019
Great Missenden link road widening imminent
Controversial plans to fell a number of trees and widen a busy road in Great Missenden should be immediately halted while HS2 is under review, a former district councillor has said – as a petition to scrap the decision gains more than 1,500 signatures. (BFP)
Chesham Residents might note that the proposed diversion (for an earlier incarnation of the same scheme) goes via Wendover, Tring, Ashley Green & Chesham (Church Street) Fortunately, its so long that noone is likely to follow it, but ther shortest options (Leather Lane, Hyde Lane) are also completely unsuitable, being single track roads...
25-Sep-2019
Maladministration ?
"The PHSO - the ombudsman which back in the day found HS2 Ltd guilty of maladministration - have been investigating the systematic undervaluation of property by HS2 Ltd. However, this investigation has not been widely publicised and may well be wound up this week (believe it or not at the suggestion of HS2 Ltd) because of a lack of evidence.
We know there is plenty of evidence, it's just that they have not received it. Have you experienced any of these behaviours ? If so, please send information to both the PHSO Carolyn.Preston@ombudsman.org.uk and Peter Bassano who is the initial complainant pbassano@aol.com. I would say at this point in time, no need to worry about massive detail unless you have time, just get a place marker in NOW!"
23-Sep-2019
High Speed 2 will cost £106.4 billion (Telegraph)
A new analysis submitted to the inquiry by Michael Byng, an infrastructure consultant who devised the method used by Network Rail to cost its projects, states that the overall bill is likely to reach £106.4 billion.
Chief Operating Operator quits -
Bye bye Richard - (Business Live)
HS2 Fraud
HS2 is a vast project likely to make a financial loss in the hundreds of billions of pounds. It has been sold to politicians via analysis which we believe amounts to malfeasance in public office (Transport Watch)
16-Sep-2019
Removals of ancient woodlands for HS2 stopped during independent review unless they are absolutely necessary to avoid major cost and schedule impacts. (Who decides ? - see Stop HS2 )
Woodland Trust ecologist Luci Ryan said: "This is a welcome step in the right direction for our ancient woodlands, but unfortunately these woods remain threatened as HS2 can still decide for themselves whether works continue or not."Until the outcome of the review all ancient woodlands should be off limits full stop. Our welcome is therefore cautious." (Bucks Free Press)
Ancient woodland accounts for 2.4% of land in the UK. At least 108 ancient woods will be affected by HS2 as a whole. There will be direct loss to at least 63 ancient woods totalling 57.99ha and damage due to noise, vibration, changes to lighting and dust to a further 47 woods lying on or near the construction boundaries. (Horticultural Week - also lists ancient woodlands on the route)
03-Sep-2019
HS2 over budget, and behind schedule - official
Confirmed in a written statement to the House by Grant Schapps - see our Review page. Well, nobody saw that coming !
27-Aug-2019
Questions for Nusrat ?
Ministers and bosses knew railway was over budget years ago
The government and HS2 knew that the new high speed railway was over budget and was probably behind schedule years ago, documents seen by the BBC show.
Crucially, the documents were written in 2016, before MPs had signed off the first phase of the project.(BBC News, Stop HS2, and more from BBC)
Not the sort of thing you might expect a transport minister to know much about ?
Northern leaders to review HS2 scheme
The Northern Powerhouse Partnership will hold a review into HS2 - I wonder what they will conclude ? (LocalGov, Grauniad)
25-Aug-2019
Serious Fraud Office probes HS2
The Serious Fraud Office is probing the HS2 project after being handed a bombshell dossier of documents leaked by a whistleblower, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. (As did Stop HS2, in March).
Well who would have thought it ?
23-Aug-2019
HS2 Review announced
This one will run & run ...
Human Interest -
26-Jul-2019
Andrew Gilligan appointed Transport Adviser -
And he doesn't much care for HS2 -
The journalist ... has long opposed what he says is a “disastrous scheme”, arguing for a slower, cheaper line to be built instead. (Grauniad)
24-Jul-2019
CoverUps - Costs
"Ministers mislead parliament over cost of HS2" (Lord Berkley)
"HS2 Challenges Grow" - HS2 chairman Allan Cook has written to the Department for Transport warning that all phases of the high speed project will cost more than £55.7 billion. According to the Financial Times, he has advised that they will cost a further £30 billion
(RailNews,
Express & Star ,
Bucks Herald )
CoverUps - NDAs
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) non-disclosure agreements, (2) settlement agreements, (3) compromise agreements, and (3) similar legal agreements that contain non-disclosure provisions, HS2 has entered into with former members of staff. (Lord Berkley)
Since 1 January 2017, HS2 Ltd has entered into 47 Settlement Agreements with employees who no longer work for HS2 Ltd as at today’s date. (Baroness Vere)
(Reply to) Point of Order (Ivan Lewis) -
In the event that a Member discovers he or she has inadvertently misled the House, it is incumbent upon that Member to correct the record. (John Bercow)
Nusrat Ghani (Parliamentary Under-Secretary Department for Transport) -
I would uphold my hon. Friend’s concerns if they were valid. As I have said to her, HS2 Ltd has not entered into any non-disclosure agreements with HS2 staff, but when it is business-critical, it needs to be able to have confidential conversations.
18-Jul-2019
"... after a three-month adjournment the prosecution had failed to demonstrate that any offence had taken place."
"Crucially for the protestors, the prosecution had accepted the defence evidence that the activities HS2 Ltd are engaged in at Colne Valley Park on the edge of London could seriously impact on the viability of water supplies to Greater London."
(Stop HS2, Guardian)
15-Jul-2019
Legal Matters -
The Amersham Action group has contributed to the Crowd Justice appeals for these cases, which we feel deserve wide support -.
The case against Sarah Green is due to be heard in Hillingdon Magistrates Court, at the end of this week - 17-19 July. Are HS2 Ltd acting legally ?
A campaign to obtain fair valuations on properties purchased by HS2. Help fund an 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' process, to highlight unfairness in the way HS2 value and acquire properties.
HS2 have "undertaken no risk assessment of the Park Village East retaining wall. And it confirmed that they had done no Environmental Impact Assessment for the Euston and Camden Cutting area since the bill was enacted in 2017" Ms. Granger-Taylor is requesting a Judicial Review of the refusal (by HS2) to publish an Environmental Impact Assessment of the current design. Should HS2 be unable to show that the design is safe, then the Old Oak Common-Euston section may be delayed or abandoned.
05-Jul-2019
Threat to the Aquifer, Continued
Sarah Green is defending herself against a charge of aggravated trespass, by arguing that the pile tests being undertaken by HS2 at Harvil Road are unlawful, as they may pollute the aquifer (see this page for details). The European Commission have indicated that "The possibility to grant derogations [from the drinking Water Directive] (Article 9) for maximal 9 years was linked to the timescale for compliance (Article 14) of the directive. It expired for the United Kingdom in December 2012.", in which case any additional pollution of the aquifer would be unlawful.
See Sarah Green's Crowdfunding page for the latest information, and help defend this case.
25-Jun-2019
FOI for Chiltern Tunnel Safety assessment refused - again
See this page for the sorry tale of this long delayed request.
20-Jun-2019
Business Case, Costs and Spending
A House of Commons Briefing Paper finds that the estimated cost of HS2 (in 2015) was £9bn higher than the amount quoted in the Spending Review -
The subsequent estimates below have been derived from the National Audit Office (NAO) review of the scheme in 2016. When the 2015 Spending Review was conducted the total cost of the full Y-network was around £64.9 billion (in 2015 prices), with Phase 1 estimated at £27.18 billion and Phase 2 estimated at £37.8 billion.
Thus, there was around a £9.2 billion gap between what was available (per the £55.7 billion under the 2015 Spending Review envelope) and what it was estimated to cost. (p33)
See commentary on
StopHS2 , Mix96 and Railnews
Liddington asks for a station
Aylesbury's MP says Buckinghamshire has been asked to bare (sic) the pain of HS2 but none of the benefit. (Mix96)
19-Jun-2019
A group of Burton Green residents have won their fight to save a 200-year-old oak tree from being felled as part of HS2 related construction.
Cllr Marshall added: “However, while the problem arose because of the insistence of Warwickshire County Highways to apply visibility sightlines for a permanent junction (whereas this scheme only requires a temporary one) we believe the whole crisis could have been avoided had HS2 Ltd consulted us properly many weeks ago. We will continue to pursue this matter with Sir Mark Worthington, the HS2 Independent Construction Commission who has already taken up the case at our request.
18-Jun-2019
Boris to review HS2
The frontrunner told Tory constituency chairs at the weekend that he has asked Douglas Oakervee, the former chairman of the company building the line, to lead this assessment. (Daily Mail , Independent, Birmingham Mail )
Presumably Lord Adonis wasn't available ?
31-May-2019
Which candidates can be trusted to scrap HS2 ?
30-May-2019
"I asked two Parliamentary questions to raise the campaigners’ concerns. The answers confirm that the old landfill site is under the control of the Environment Agency, but they appear to be taking a hands off approach to regulation. It appears that the EA have not produced their own risk assessment but have asked HS2 to do it. "
(Baroness Jones of Moulscoombe)
29-May-2019
Bringing Life to the Green Corridor (really?), Review of Wendover Tunnel Green Portal, Small Dean Viaduct, & Scheduke 17 review of the Wendover Dean Viaduct ... download this wonderful document & learn SFA about these and other topics.
24-May-2019
Serious concerns with Hillingdon Community engagement
"It will come as no surprise but here in Hillingdon we have become beyond frustrated with the failings of our community engagement with HS2Ltd.
We have written to Mark Thurston and Chris Grayling and copied it to the Director of Community Engagement, both the Construction and Residents Commissioners along with our MPs.
We are not expecting any sweeping changes as a result but feel the need to raise the issues as far as we can.
I've attached the letter for reference and for any groups who might feel they would like to follow suit and highlight similar problems in their area.
I'm hoping if others do the same it might lend weight to the problems we all face and go someway to address the misconception in parliament that community engagement with HS2Ltd is successful."
21-May-2019
Government has responded to the petition
The Government wants HS2 to be one of the most environmentally responsible infrastructure projects ever delivered in the UK, and managing its impact on the environment during construction is a high priority. The project will deliver a new green corridor made up of more than 650 hectares of new woodland, wetland and wildlife habitats alongside the line. More than seven million new native trees and shrubs will be planted to help blend the line into the landscape and leave a lasting legacy of high-quality green spaces all along the route. This will include more than 33 square kilometres of new and existing wildlife habitat - an increase of around 30% compared to what is there now. (Measured how ?)
For the complete load of bollocks, see the full response
16-May-2019
House of Lords Committee "Rethink HS2"
Our 2015 report The Economics of High Speed 2 raised a number of questions that the Government needed to answer on High Speed 2. Four years later, these have yet to be answered satisfactorily.
The existing appraisal process for large infrastructure projects such as High Speed 2 is inappropriate. The appraisal method takes insufficient account of the transformative effect on local economies that the new railway may bring and it places too much emphasis on travel time savings. The estimated benefits of the project are very sensitive to demand forecasts for High Speed 2, particularly demand from business travellers, and the monetary value placed on travellers’ time. But the evidence behind both assumptions is unconvincing.
(Economic Affairs Committee - Full Report, Summary.)
Press - PoliticsHome, Sky
Harvil Road - Injunction Extended
Environmental protesters have been barred from land where they say HS2 is carrying out works putting almost a quarter of London’s drinking water at risk (Grauniad)
14-May-2019
The Great British Transport Competition
The TaxPayers Alliance issue their report (launched by David Davis MP) on how best to spend the £50bn or more which would be freed up by scrapping HS2. One option would be to electrify the Chilten Line. More fancy graphics in the Daily Mail.
Strangely enough, the High Speed Rail Industry Leaders Group were less than happy with the result (Railnews, RailTech) Amys Morse, head of the National Audit Office, says "pretty soon now we will have sunk so much in buying land, building track and so forth that it will be very difficult not to at least go to Birmingham.' - but as the contracts are yet to be signed, there can be no reason to pay any companies for building track, if indeed they have done so.At least he is up to speed ???
Other News
- HS2 have no idea how long it takes to get from their stations, to the eventual destination
- HS2 will give football fans thousands of extra seats ahead of future cup finals - that must be worth £100bn then
- Chiltern Line services disrupted by HS2 works (Mix96, Oxford Mail)
09-May-2019
He said: " I have walked 100 miles along the proposed route of HS2 and not one of the people I spoke to could see the point of building HS2, especially at a time when the communities I walked through are being told there is no money for the public services they rely on every day.
"Even though HS2 haven’t been given Notice to Proceed yet, I saw them ripping up countryside all over the place, which they seem to be doing just to make this white elephant harder to cancel. They have to stop this work now.”
Protesters force closure of works site
HS2 have closed a works site near the Buckinghamshire village of Steeple Claydon after protesters worked around the clock to peacefully obstruct de-vegetation work due to take place.(Buckingham Today)
07-May-2019
HS2 consultation complied with the Aarhus convention
"The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee found that the UK had not failed to comply with the Convention with regard to specific allegations raised by the communicants. However, the findings are nonetheless an important piece of “jurisprudence” of the Committee for specifying in greater detail the requirements for public participation in the preparation of plans/programmes." (ClientEarth)
(Case was submitted in April 2014; no need to rush these things ...)
03-May-2019
Woodland Trust supports campaign to halt 'prelminary' works
"We fully understand the concerns of the councils as they mirror our own in respect of the ancient woodland due to be cleared later this year. While the enabling works are legal we question whether they are right given the project is under review."
26-Apr-2019
Bucks Councils demand halt to HS2 construction
Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern district councils and Buckinghamshire County Council said they were “pilling pressure on the government” to stop all current HS2 preparation work until the designs are approved, the full cost of the scheme made clear, and a ‘Notice to Proceed’ has been approved. (Rail Tech Magazine, StopHS2, Mix96 )
“This Council proposes that the Leader should write to Government to request that all enabling works for HS2 in Buckinghamshire should be paused until the Notice to Proceed to main works contractors has been approved..."
"I have applied for an urgent question because my parish council unanimously have asked for a pause in HS2 and I'm extremely worried about the environmental damage that's being done to my constituency and the rest of Buckinghamshire before there is eventually a notice to proceed, when there are so many doubt over the project,"
But Nusrat says no ...
25-Apr-2019
Harvil Road Case - from Sarah Green
The work for my case is progressing. Before the EU broke for elections we submitted a report to the EU commission via Jean Lambert London MEP highlighting our evidence of breach of Water Framework Directive by HS2 Ltd in the Colne Valley London.
A compelling legal submission on the Admissibility of our Expert Witness has been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service for my defence which is now 17th 18th and 19th July.
The story about the direct threat to the aquifer was published in the
Mail on Sunday
This weekend 27th 28th April events are happening at Harvil Road where XR, Stop HS2, Green Party, Friends of the Earth and local campaigners are coming together the call for a halt in the destruction.
Please continue to support by sharing the crowd justice appeal and by visiting the Harvil Road Wildlife Protection Camp UB9 6JW.
22-Apr-2019
Walking the Line
Matthew Gibson and his 72 year old mother are walking the route of HS2 (Mix96, StopHS2) Follow Matthew on Facebook.
16-Apr-2019
Cancellation News
( Mind the Gap !)
03-Apr-2019
Design Panel Newsletter - February
Understanding how all CDEs will integrate as part of a holistic design response, including their contribution to moments of 'human value'. For example, new viewpoints will be essential to gaining support from local planning authorities, and the overall perception of HS2 - a proud expression of the power and speed of high speed rail, carefully crafted to the landscape. ( 2 pages of similar bollocks, here)
01-Apr-2019
Harvil Road - hearing postponed
The full hearing of the Harvil Road Trespass/Water supply case was postponed until July -
(The Canary, Birmingham Mail) - apparently leaving HS2 contractors free to continue with pile tests. Latest indications are that they will start at the other end of the viaduct, near the water ski club, but site preparations continue near Harvil Road. More about the Aquifer ...
Message from Sarah Green -
On Monday 1st April the District Judge postponed the case of aggravated trespass by obstructing 'lawful activity'. The prosecution had the previous Friday asked for more time to be allotted as a great deal more evidence had been submitted by ourselves and by the prosecution service. The DJ also attempted to rule out our expert witness but this was successfully argued against by my barrister Sailesh Mehta.
Where does this leave our case. Our case will now be heard on 17th, 18th 19th of July in Uxbridge magistrates Court. My barrister stated on my behalf, that we were prepared to proceed on Monday and by the time of the new trial the damage to the aquifer, which we are trying to prevent, may very well have happened.
What we are doing now. We are forwarding evidence widely including to the EU, calling attention to the threats to the aquifer. We are monitoring the continuing destruction of the beautiful Colne Valley, and recording and registering habitat clearance and species annihilation. We are not giving up, more Freedom of Information requests and questions to ministers have been submitted.
Help defend this case - support the Crowd Justice appeal
Notice to Proceed Delayed !
Ministers have delayed approval for HS2 spending over worries about the project’s mounting costs. (Mail, Telegraph, Rail Technology). Estimates for Phase 1 still exceeding the budget, so cost pressures are likely to reduce expenditure on mitigation.
Construction and the release of funds to the contractors cannot happen until HS2 Ltd gets notice to proceed, by passing “Management Capability, Affordability of Contracts & Robustness of Revised Business Case” tests - who is marking their homework ?
"Total expenditure under the Preparation Act for the period from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018 was £115.5m against a budget of £134.7m, representing an underspend of £19.2m or 14%. "
(Mostly on property acquisition)
25-Mar-2019
Scrap HS2 !
The HS2 rail line should be scrapped for being too costly, says the former Treasury chief who first signed off its funding.(DailyMail)
Lord Macpherson, ex-Treasury permanent secretary, said HS2 would now fail a ‘rigorous cost-benefit analysis’. He added: ‘HS2 has always had a low economic return.
Other than the baying mob chasing the contracts to do so there really is no good reason to build it. (Adam Smith Inst)
Theresa May
still thinks its a good idea -
"The prime minister has reaffirmed her commitment to delivering HS2 in full and is expecting Royal Assent to Phase 2a at some point this year" (just after we leave the EU ??)
20-Mar-2019
A report by the New Economics Foundation finds that
"HS2 WILL EXACERBATE AND NOT REDRESS THE UK’S STARK REGIONAL ECONOMIC IMBALANCES" (Download the report from this page)
Even when wholly finished, with
Leeds and Manchester linked to
Birmingham and London, it is the
nation’s capital that will capture
more than its fair share of the
benefits. HS2 will, according to
HS2 Ltd’s own economic appraisal,
reinforce the London-centric nature
of transport investment and growth
in gross value added.
It is not that high-speed rail or new
north–south links are in themselves
the wrong approach to take. But that
this scheme, its escalating cost, its drag
towards London, its extreme speed,
its poor integration with the rest of
the network, and its lack of strategic
rationale in relation to the railways
and transport and its meagre impact
on road and air travel do not add up. Within the context of Brexit and stark
economic and political inequality, and
without clear strategy, HS2 increasingly
appears wrong-headed.
Comments -
- Daily Express - Multi-BILLION pound HS2 will widen north-south divide
- Grauniad - the plan for northern towns is managed decline
- Wired - A scathing report calls for the UK's HS2 rail link to be scrapped
- Stop HS2 - Report Calls for HS2 to be Scrapped
- Friends of the Earth - The Opportunity Costs of HS2 (took them long enough ...)
596 people turned out in Steeple Claydon to lend their support to the petition which specifically expresses grievance at the way HS2 has communicated local vegetation clearance.
18-Mar-2019
Wendover (Mined) tunnel - FOI refused
Specifically you asked to be provided with copies of the IPA and independent reports referred to in earlier correspondence ... it is our view that disclosure of the IPA report would otherwise prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs.
High Speed Heating ?
"Waste heat from HS2 could be used to keep hundreds of new homes warm in a sustainable way." Also in Tunnelling Journal
Yep, building a railway that uses 1.24 TWh / year is a really good way to heat a hundred or so homes ...
09-Mar-2019
Greens take Haddenham & Stone from Tories (Mix96)
Conservative vote fell by 3%. Ind, UKIP (25, 14%) did not stand, Greens increased share by 36%. So how many UKIP voters turned Green ??
08-Mar-2019
Section 4 of the 2006 Fraud Act has never really been tested properly, and when you consider all the farms, businesses and household that are suffering financial losses as a direct result of the actions of HS2, it is difficult to argue that HS2 Ltd are not breaking it on a calculated and industrial scale.
We are asking people who have suffered direct financial losses as a result of HS2 Ltds actions to report them to the police for fraud. We would very much like to hear from people who do report them, as we would like to take a selection to the press, both nationally and locally.
Independent Complaints Commissioner
Reports 7 (July-September) & 8 (Oct-Dec 2018) released;
"I consider that the relationship between HS2 Ltd and local residents’ groups in Hillingdon remains challenging. Given the upcoming major works in Hillingdon, it is important that communications with residents should continue to be clear, timely and wherever possible, two-way."
06-Mar-2019
Hillingdon - Rejection of Schedule 17 application overturned by Govt.
Chris Grayling and James Brokenshire, in a letter to Hillingdon Council and HS2, revealed that they had given the ecological work the go-ahead after overturning the authority’s decision to refuse permission.
(Rail Technology Magazine)
Hillingdon tuned down the Schedule 17 submission because
- the design or external appearance of the works ought to, and could reasonably, be modified to preserve a site of archaeological or historic interest or nature conservation value.
- the development ought to, and could reasonably, be carried out elsewhere within the development’s permitted limits.
HS2 appealed against this decision, but this appeal was refused -
With regard to archaeology, I find that the information available to the Council was not adequate. The design of the works ought to, and could reasonably, be modified to preserve a site of archaeological interest
But the transport and communities secretaries have overruled the council’s rejection, stating that they found “no legitimate basis for refusing to approve” the application.
28-Feb-2019
BBOWT has received notice from HS2 that they intend to carry out clearance works at Calvert Jubilee. We have met with representatives of HS2 to make it clear that the scale and timing of the works will have a devastating effect on wildlife.
26-Feb-2019
Steeple Claydon Sparrow Cull
Destroying countryside during bird nesting season is environmentally criminal and there is absolutely no need.
(Mix96)
Where will the bodies be (re)buried ?
The Buckinghamshire Archaeological society[BAS] has raised concerns about how the human remains will be exhumed by HS2.(Bucks Herald)
23-Feb-2019
Sod all about phase 1 ...
HS2 to exceed new WHO noise levels
Well who could have forseen that ? And after the sound booths they trundled round during the 'Consultation' -
( Telegraph, Mail )
20-Feb-2019
HS2 - join our campaign to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Today, we are calling for the Government to put an end to HS2 which will cut a swathe through some of our most beloved green spaces and local attractions.
Costs are spiralling out of control – we (The Bucks Herald) believe that now is the time to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Naturally we welcome any additional support, but you have to wonder where they have been for the last 9 years
14-Feb-2019
List of board members, minutes etc
13-Feb-2019
Wendover rejects Noise barriers
"The idea of yet another set of 2 meter, to 4 meter, to 6 meter high sound barriers north and south of Wendover was appalling. There are real issues from an environment standpoint, a visual standpoint and an advocacy standpoint. "
( Mix96 )
Plans for a hotel and office scheme, which would also feature student and residential flats, in Birmingham have been revealed. The scheme would be built on the site earmarked for the HS2 Curzon Street Station if the project doesn't go ahead.
California Trims Its High-Speed Rail Ambitions
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is scaling back the state’s decade-old plan to build a high-speed rail line connecting its major cities in the north and south. (Wall St Journal - subscription only)
12-Feb-2019
Harvil Road, NewYearsGreen and the Aquifer
Whats happening at Harvil Road ? Why is Sarah Green charged with aggravated trespass ? Read all about it ...
Five car crash on Harvil Road (MyLondon)
C4 Dispatches, and fallout
(And HS2 employ how many PR companies to attract this sort of coverage ?)
07-Feb-2019
Property cost 5 times over original estimate
A Freedom of Information Response from HS2 Ltd forecasts that the final total for the cost of land and property on the London to Birmingham stretch would be around £5bn, five times over the original budget presented to Parliament.
(Stop HS2, Bucks Herald )
06-Feb-2019
Last year, the tender shortlist for a construction partner for the two southern stations was released. In a clear signal of how work is progressing, this morning I am pleased to announce the intention to award these important positions to a Joint Venture between Mace Limited and Dragados S.A. for Euston and a Joint Venture between Balfour Beatty Group Ltd, VINCI Construction UK Ltd, VINCI Construction Grands Projets SAS and SYSTRA Ltd for Old Oak Common.
27-Jan-2019
Wind Power for HS2 ?
Wind farms could be built along the route of HS2 in a major resurrection of onshore turbines in Britain, under confidential Government-commissioned plans. ( Sunday Telegraph). See report on HS2 power requirement
Let's please pull the plug on HS2
It’s time to pull the plug on this project. The money freed could go on desperately needed infrastructure projects, such as improving the roads. (Telegraph, again)
25-Jan-2019
|Support Sarah Green
CrowdJustice are campaigning to protect our water supply (see 9-Jan) Help (£MONEY) is urgently needed ...
24-Jan-2019
Chaos at the Crem ?
Bosses at Chilterns Crematorium, in Whielden Lane, fear mourners may be late to funerals, miss them altogether, or funeral processions may struggle to get to the site if HS2 works are not planned effectively. (BFP)
Speaking to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee yesterday, Sir Terry Morgan said the HS2 project team may have to reduce the speed or the number of trains using the route. When probed on what he thinks the final cost to the project will be, Sir Terry startlingly said that “nobody actually knows yet,” prompting further concerns for the budget of HS2.
Chris Grayling (who else?) reiterated his backing for lines to Manchester and Leeds after the government's commitment to go past the Midlands was called into question.
22-Jan-2019
Design Panel award for the Smalldean Viaduct - WTF ?
'The panel warmly welcomes the designs being developed by Eiffage Kier with Moxon Architects - finding much to applaud in how the design team has creatively embraced this sensitive context while meeting the demanding requirements of high speed rail.'
Funny, everyone else thinks its a bloody monstrosity ...
A letter to Lord Adonis
(From a loyal fan ?) Watford Observer
09-Jan-2019
NewYears Green Protest
ACTIVISTS arrested for protesting against the HS2 rail development began their legal battle at Uxbridge magistrates’ court today. At the hearing the two defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges of aggravated trespass against them. Activists argue that the construction programme will also pollute local drinking water.
