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Chiltern Society HS2 newsletter
August 2010
HS2 Ltd’s report on a potential expanded nationwide high speed rail network (see last month’s newsletter) together with more environmental information about the “preferred” HS2 route through the Chilterns, is due to land on the desk of Transport Secretary Philip Hammond towards the end of this month. It’s thought that neither Mr Hammond nor the company will make the recommendations public at that stage.
Political commentators think that an announcement on the paper and details of the public consultation due early next year will not be made until after the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review on October 17, although this remains newspaper speculation.
Last month Lord Mawhinney produced an independent report which had been looking separately at Heathrow’s transport links. He recommended that Heathrow should not be directly linked to any high speed service that simply ran between London and Birmingham, but that the case for a Heathrow link was more “persuasive” as the high speed network expanded to other parts of the country. Lord Mawhinney recommended a high speed interchange at Old Oak Common, not far from Wormwood Scrubs in West London, which would also act as a terminus instead of Euston.
All this is relevant because HS2’s original terms of reference was based on the assumption that high speed services would incorporate an interchange at Heathrow. Consequently HS2 recommended a cross-Chilterns route.
If, instead, high speed trains interchanged or terminated at Old Oak Common – with a possible “loop” to Heathrow once a national network was in place – that could enable other routes to the north to be considered, avoiding the Chilterns.
However, while Mr Hammond and his team will consider Lord Mawhinney’s report as part of the eventual HS2 recommendation, it should be remembered that HS2 now have a clear remit to offer options that link Heathrow into HS2.
Environmental reports
In the meantime, Mr Hammond has written to the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) and to Buckinghamshire County Council requesting a meeting, although no dates have been discussed. While much attention has been focused in recent weeks on the economic viability of high speed rail, investigations are underway on the potential environmental impacts if the route crosses the Chilterns.
Buckinghamshire County Council is preparing a report looking at environmental impacts of all of the proposed routes, and is planning an “environmental summit” in September. The Conservation Board, meanwhile, is preparing a computer generated map which will produce headline information about the environmental impact, and is part of a report on how the Chilterns landscape will be affected. The Chiltern Society will be producing a number of its own reports in the coming weeks, focussing on various aspects, including environmental issues.
Exceptional hardship scheme
The Department of Transport announced in July it was extending the scope of the exceptional hardship scheme. Now, it says the Government will buy properties on the preferred route through Buckinghamshire if the owner has a tightly defined pressing need to sell. Originally, it only applied to owner-occupied homes but has now been extended to commercial properties that meet certain conditions; to agricultural units; to those who have recently inherited a property and to those whose property has been repossessed and urgently need their lender to sell it.
The Department has refused however, to consider properties on the alternative routes through the Chilterns or properties that may be tunnelled under.
You can find full details online in the high speed rail part of the DfT's website.
People have until 20 August to apply.
Spending challenge
As the Government prepares for its Comprehensive Spending Review it is inviting the public to contribute by sending their suggestions to a special Spending Challenges website. A number of HS2 action groups are making use of the site to express concerns about the estimated cost of HS2. Members who wish to contribute to the consultation can do so by following the link above. The consultation closes at the end of August.
Events
You will find details of a sponsored protest walk along part of the proposed HS2 route on 11 September on the Society’s website (see link top left on this page). It is being organised by Society members Jim Rodda and Carol Rainsford and starts at Amersham Station at 10am and finishes at Great Missenden. It is to raise money for the Chiltern Society’s HS2 fighting fund (see July newsletter) which currently stands at just over £5,500. It is also hoped to generate some publicity.
The Chiltern Society will also be represented at the Bucks County Show on 26 August, where we will be giving out information and enlisting support for the HS2 campaign.
Thanks to Great Missenden post office who has given us their window in the High Street to use as a HS2 awareness campaign. We’ll be putting up a display shortly.
Help needed
If you are able to help Jim and Carol at the protest walk on 11 September by acting as marshals or generally assisting, please We have also been asked to set up a stall at the Kop Hill Climb event in Princes Risborough on 25 and 26 September, which attracts hundreds of people. If you can help at the stall please
Finally we are developing an idea to run an art and literary exhibition to coincide with the expected HS2 public consultation early next year. This gives an opportunity for the artists and poets among us to effectively protest (remember, it was a few well chosen words from Sir John Betjeman that helped save St Pancras Station!). It will take some time and energy to organise, but if you’d be interested please email
Thanks for reading this newsletter. There’ll be another at the beginning of September. Don’t forget we have a for any HS2 inquiries or requests.
Peter Brown.
