New route may start meaningful debate

I agree with Joe Rukin that the timing of Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle’s announcement that Labour would favour an alternative route for HS2 following the M40 is bizarre, and that there is no case for HS2 whatever route it follows, but I am not totally negative about this development. Placing aside my suspicions that Labour is playing a political game with the people of Warwickshire, I can see some positives in this move.

Firstly, I am a firm believer that the role of Her Majesty’s Opposition is to oppose Government. The cosy all-party consensus about HS2 that we have seen to date carries a serious risk that the proposals by the DfT and HS2 Ltd will not be properly questioned or challenged by Parliament; as a consequence, the railway, if built, is unlikely to be the best, all round, solution for this country. So if cracks, even minute ones, are appearing in the Government/opposition unity on HS2, then I warmly welcome them.

Secondly, the implicit admission in making this proposal is that speed and journey time is not the prime consideration, at least as far as Ms Eagle is concerned. If we can also persuade HS2 Ltd that it is not necessary to engineer for ultra-fast speeds or take the straightest possible route, then we may have taken a major step forward towards reducing the severe environmental impact of the preferred route.

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Thirdly, the lesson from the HS1 Channel Tunnel line in Kent is that running the line alongside a motorway reduces the impact that a high speed line has on the unfortunates who live alongside it, particularly in the case of noise pollution. The current HS2 proposal to cut what will be in many areas (including South Warwickshire) a new transport corridor will despoil much of our cherished countryside and introduce a new source of high noise pollution into currently tranquil areas; the Labour proposal to follow the M40 would reduce these impacts.

However, I have no faith whatever that the Government will give any consideration to Labour’s proposal. Replying to a debate in Westminster Hall last week, the Transport Minister Theresa Villiers promised that “all route proposals submitted by the 50,000 people who took part in the consultation will be considered thoroughly”. When prompted by the Shadow Transport Minister, she refused to confirm that this courtesy would be extended to Labour’s proposal. It will be interesting to see what Labour’s reaction to being snubbed will be. I’m afraid that it is too much to hope that the Labour frontbench will, in a fit of pique, join the growing number of people who oppose HS2 outright.

So it is probably all a storm in a teacup. However, I would suggest that it should serve as a wake-up call to those Warwickshire folk who are currently not on the route of HS2 and feel that they need not worry too much about the proposal. Another lesson from HS1 is that things change as plans progress and that routes can move. - Peter Delow, Chairman Cubbington Action, Group against HS2, Cubbington.