We’ve sprung into 2020 with determination to make sure our concerns about HS2 are listened to and taken seriously.
This week we’ve written to Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, to outline our arguments against the project once again.
In the Autumn, when a review of the project was taking place, we presented a number of grave concerns including:
- the costs associated with HS2, which are set to rise substantially
- the environmental devastation that the project would cause in the Chilterns; including the loss of hedgerows, farmland and ancient woodland
- the threat to wildlife including the cutting of migration routes for wild animals
- the risk to the Misbourne aquifer through tunneling and the loss of the Misbourne, a rare chalk stream
- the projected usage of 1 million litres of water per day to build the line and the unprecedented pressure this would put on our local water supply
- tunnel safety concerns, and how passengers would be safely evacuated in the instance of a fire
- several grave geological concerns
Despite the review recommending that the project proceed as planned, we are still determined to make our voice heard, in addition to the voices of local Chilterns residents and wildlife. We hope that the Secretary of State will take our points into consideration and respond accordingly.
You can read our letter to him, which includes our Autumn report to the Oakervee Review, here.
We will continue to post updates about our work and the responses that we receive.
