A letter to Kier Starmer

Over the last few weeks, 426 Primrose Hill residents have written to their MP, Sir Keir Starmer, outlining their fears of the impact of HS2 on Primrose Hill.

Here is a copy of the letter:

Dear Sir Keir

I am writing to express my deep concern about the government’s present plans for HS2 and to ask you to take immediate steps to protect the residents and businesses of Primrose Hill from its worst impacts.

I understand that HS2 Ltd intends to use the zoo overspill car park, between Prince Albert Road and the Outer Circle, as a lorry compound between 2019 -2024 (at least), processing all HGV traffic from north and east en route to the main construction site at Euston. I believe it is also intended that Prince Albert Road will become a construction super-highway for that period (at least), dedicated to up to 1400 HGV movements per day.

Much of Primrose Hill is a conservation area and residents value its historic buildings and the green, open spaces which serve as lungs in the heart of the city. The inevitable deterioration in air quality as a result of the planned HGV movements, and their cumulative impact on other traffic, will have profound and irreversible effects on the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community. The introduction of such a significant number of HGVs to a small, sensitive area such as Primrose Hill will inevitably increase the risk of accident to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

It seems incredible enough that HS2 Ltd should plan to locate its lorry compound and construction super-highway in the heart of a conservation area, between a zoo and a school. Yet the situation is to be exacerbated even further by extensive road closures and utility work in the area, which will create a nightmare scenario of traffic permanently gridlocked in Primrose Hill for many years to come, ruining the area for everyone living or working here.

This is an unacceptable future to contemplate and I hope I can count on you to make every effort to stop the present plans to turn Primrose Hill into Primrose Hell.