Public Consultation now launched!
Have your say HS2 West Midlands to Manchester, Leeds and beyond....
High Speed Rail – Formal Public Consultation on the proposed route from the West Midlands to Manchester, Leeds and beyond has now been launched (closes on 1700 on 31 January 2014)
HS2 is a Government plan to build a high speed rail network. The initial plan is for a high speed railway between London and the West Midlands (Birmingham). The second phase will take it to Manchester and Leeds and may provide a link to Heathrow. The cost of both phases (the 'Y' network) has now escalated to some £50bn and represents a cost to every family of £2000.
Aims of High Speed Two (HS2):
to provide additional capacity for commuters
to provide fast, frequent and reliable connections between major cities and regions
to provide a catalyst for economic growth, shortening journey times and making it easier to do business around the country.
Opposition groups oppose HS2 because they believe:
1. HS2 is a waste of money and the wrong priority
2. The business case is flawed
3. HS2 can't cure the North South divide
4. There are better alternatives to improving our railways
5. The environmental case for HS2 has collapsed
Consultation on the route
In January 2013, the Government announced its initial preferences for the proposed route from the West Midlands to Manchester and Leeds. Since then, ministers have been talking to Members of Parliament whose constituents will be affected by this proposed route. They have been explaining the January announcement and the station and depot options, and discussing local priorities and concerns.
In parallel, HS2 Ltd (HS2 Ltd is the company responsible for developing and promoting the UK’s new high speed rail network and is wholly owned by the Department for Transport) has been discussing the proposals with local authorities, station city partners and key environment and heritage organisations that would be affected by the line of route.
A formal public consultation on the proposed route from the West Midlands to Manchester and Leeds has now been launched.
The Government is seeking the public's views on the proposed rail route. This consultation is your chance to have your say on the route, stations and depots being proposed.
Your contribution is important. Your views and evidence will be summarised in an independent report that the Secretary of State for Transport will consider when deciding on the proposed route.
More Information including the full consultation document can be found at:
www.hs2.org.uk
All documents are available free of charge at www.dft.gov.uk/orderingpublications or by calling the document order line on:
0300 123 1102
You can also find out about the alternatives to HS2 at www.betterthanhs2.org and at www.51m.co.uk
How to Respond
The consultation closes at 1700 on 31 January 2014
You can respond to the consultation in one of the following ways:
by completing the response form online at: www.hs2.org.uk
by sending your response by email to [email protected]
or by freepost to the following address:
Freepost RTEL-YAZX-HAZT
Phase Two Route Consultation
PO Box 1152
HARROW HA1 9LH
You can help fight back by signing up to be a registered supporter of HS2 Action Alliance.
http://www.yapcrm.com/w/sh/submission.cfm
HS2 Action Alliance is a not for profit organisation working with over 90 local community groups, which is challenging the case for the High Speed 2 (HS2) project in the media, Parliament and the courts – working to get Government to take the right decisions.