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Chiltern Society HS2 newsletter
December 2010
November has been a busy month for HS2 with a number of meetings, debates etc.
Route for Consultation
The key issue is when Mr Hammond is officially going to announce the route to be consulted on. There has been a strong hint, in that following a meeting with council representatives from up and down the preferred route, a report in the Bucks Free Press (opens in a new window) quoted Councillor Nick Rose leader of Chiltern District Council saying that the current preferred route is the one to be consulted on.
Last month, we reported on Christian Wolmar's speech at the Chiltern Society AGM. The following videos show that speech in which he set out 13 points of objection to HS2
Part 1
Part 2
Letter writing campaign
At the AGM, our President Michael Rush suggested that we should start a letter writing campaign to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, copying your letters to your local MP and asking 10 friends to also write.
Letters should be individual, raising the points which you consider most relevant. To help people do this, please follow this link, in this website, to arguments which can be used.
To be effective these need to be letters rather than e-mails, as individual letters are taken more seriously by Government.
If you do not receive a response from any of the Ministers, please ask your MP to follow up.
Addresses for the names listed above can also be found on the above link.
Hydrology / Geology Paper
In November the Society published a paper on the Geology and Hydrology of the Misbourne Valley by Haydon Bailey B.Sc. Ph.D. C.Geol. F.G.S.
This highlights the impacts of drilling through the chalk aquifer underlying the Chilterns. The key issues raised are:
• Potential damage to the aquifer system
• Pollution of the main water supply system for the north western Home Counties area
• Potential for long term damage for part of London's water supply
• The serious potential of ground collapse in areas of deep sections of weathered chalk
• The total loss of surface water flow in the Misbourne river system, causing destruction of the adjacent habitats
• The aesthetic loss caused by the replacement of the existing river by a permanent dry valley
To see the report click on this link (in this website).
A number of Rallies and conferences were held during the month
Great Missenden Rally on Nov 7 organised in Great Missenden by HS2ActionAlliance. Over 1,500 people attended to hear speeches by Cheryl Gillan MP, David Lidington MP, Martin Tett, Bucks County Councillor, Hilary Wharfe HS2AA, Shirley Judges Gt Missenden No HS2 and John Gladwin for the Chiltern Society.
Mrs Gillan and Mr Lidington confirmed their complete opposition to the proposed preferred route. The show was stolen by a play from the children of Gt. Missenden Combined School on the impact of HS2.
A conference on 4 November, organised by the Transport Times – Sustaining the Momentum, and an Adjournment debate on 23 November in Westminster Hall, showed how many organisations and MPs have swallowed the Government's line on economic regeneration. It is not surprising that the construction industry are in favour or that Scots MPs and those from the North are in favour, but it is a reminder of how much opposition we will have to overcome to stop HS2 across the Chilterns
Councils against HS2
More Councils are lining up to object to HS2, recently Hillingdon Council, expressed concern (opens a new window) about a two mile viaduct across the Colne Valley Park; and Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council have voted to oppose HS2.
Political Actions
Conservative Groups along the preferred route are making their feelings clear to Conservative Central Office. Chesham and Amersham Constituency voted to cease paying funds to Central Office.
A number of high profile donors to the Conservative Party have said that they are withdrawing funding to the party. See the story in The Telegraph (opens in a new window).
Transport Select Committee
The Transport Select Committee is carrying out a review into 'Transport and the Economy'. Whilst this is not specific to High Speed Rail, they have been hearing evidence from a number of sources on HS2. The Committee has received written evidence on HS2 from a number of sources. On 30 November, Joe Rukin of Stop HS2 gave verbal evidence which was widely reported in the press. The attached link is to the minutes of this meeting. I would recommend that you read earlier testimony from Alison Munro, Chief Executive of HS2 as well as Joe Rukin's. Her testimony shows clearly how the HS2 case is based on supposition not fact.
Ongoing Strategy
The Society is reviewing the strategy for dealing with the Consultation, both working with other groups along the Preferred Route, and taking professional advice, where appropriate.
Events
On Tuesday 21st December, Countryfile filmed in Wendover outside Budgen's, where a truck with a sound system blasted out the train noise, and some speeches. We'll include a link to the programme on the BBC's website as soon as it becomes available.
If there are other areas you would like us to cover please
John Gladwin
HS2 Campaign Action Team
