Jan 2022
Chaos reigns in London over whether HS2 should terminate at Euston or at Old Oak Common and now that the true horrors of HS2 are becoming evident, Buckinghamshire County Council are now vehemently against HS2.
Last Monday, the Hybrid Bill for the Crewe to Manchester section of HS2 was deposited in Parliament, in spite of it being designated ‘undeliverable’ by the Public Accounts Committee. Within two days closure notices had been put on over 200 footpaths along the route of HS2 in Cheshire. Many of these footpaths will close permanently and many others will probably not re-open for at least 20 years, HS2 is not expected to be operational until 2041.
There are already grave doubts over whether there will in fact now be an HS2 station at Manchester Airport and a row has broken out in Manchester over whether the HS2 station at Piccadilly should be overgound or underground. The Government is in favour of overground because it is cheaper, however it is estimated that 500,000 square metres of Manchester city centre will be obliterated. If the HS2 Rolling Stock Depot, planned for Wimboldsley near Middlewich goes ahead, it will obliterate 650,000 square metres of prime, fertile farmland.
When are our Councils going to realise that HS2 is all about pain, not gain and follow the lead taken by Buckinghamshire, whilst there is still time?
Graham Dellow
Mid-Cheshire Against HS2
