In his December statement to the House of Commons, Philip Hammond said the HS2 consultation would be “one of the biggest and most wide-ranging ever undertaken by Government”.
Having set such an ambitious goal for the consultation, one would hope that the Government was interested in finding out what people really wanted from their proposed high speed rail network. Indeed, the consultation summary document says
“the Government is interested in whether or not you agree with its proposals and why, as well as in any additional evidence that you feel it should consider in reaching its final decisions.”
However, the format of the questions the Department for Transport have chosen to use are an unusual choice if expanded answers are the Government’s goal.
Six of the seven questions start “Do you agree…”
This closed-question format is often used in situations where the questioner has decided the answer they want you to give. It’s frequently used by telephone sales reps, as if you answer ‘yes’ to the first few questions, you are more likely to agree to buy whatever it is they are selling.
If you are dealing with a telephone sales rep, it is often recommended that you answer ‘no’, ‘maybe’ or ‘don’t know’ to some of their questions.
Of course, nobody would suggest that the Government is made up of sales reps.
The consultation documents ask you to expand on your answers: starting tomorrow, and over the consultation period, we will be suggesting different things you may wish to consider when you answer the questions.
PS The Local Action Groups, Agahst and HS2 Action Alliance, as well as Stop HS2, are all looking closely at the consultation material. A number of FOI requests are being made, and these groups will have more advice later.
Richard C I said READ THE RELATED ARTICLE ON THE RIGHT.TOP BLOG.
The article about the waste transfer plant which Elaine refers to is here: http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/west-london-news/local-uxbridge-news/2011/03/22/waste-transfer-plant-in-the-way-of-hs2-scheme-113046-28384684/.
Indeed Penny – and my post refers to this link…..the facts are there to see as I stated, so not quite sure what you guys are getting at ?
Richard Carter please read the waste transfer article above,Uxbridge gazette.Then see related articles.See top
blog on the right HS2. This should be read by all of you who are for HS2 you will see that the people are being told rubbish.If this is happening with HS2 how much more is having figures and data being manipulated by our government?
Thanks Elaine – here is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/6bhl6zt
Re Uxbridge Gazette……why are we being told rubbish??? It clearly states that there is a potential conflict between the rail sidings of this waste site and the proposed route of HS2. It also points out that the number of trains removing waste is down by 50% to 1 a day due to the increase in recycling. What doesnt get recycled goes to landfill……in Bucks !!!! At the current rate of growth for recyling, there might not be a need to use landfill at all by the time HS2 is built.
There is a comparison with this……when Arsenals Emirates Stadium was built, they had to re locate a waste facilty and build a brand new one just up the road. Interestingly , from April 2011, Islington Council have stated it will be compulsory to recycle at home – non compliance will lead to a fine. Greater Manchester has invested significantly in this as well……..
Here is an article for you to read Richard.It is in NEW GEOGRAPHY by Wendall Cox 21/3/11 that should give you food for thought. Hope you can find it.
Richard I do believe it is time you went to bed as you are talking about campaigners citing “nose:
My home was a wreck, my husband, (who was born with one hand), and I worked on it for years.He came home from work had tea and then worked on the house.I lived with brick dust for years.There are many others who have also worked hard to give there families as decent a life as they can.If all the data showed that the building of hs2 would be a good thing then i would not be spending my time writing here.I believe it will be detrimental to the C oventry ,Rugby N orthampton and Banbury areas,It is you who does not look at the wider picture.You do not know how many years a person has studied to obtain a job with perhaps long hours to earn a wage that allows them to purchase a house in the country.Some have been lucky,but they may have won the lottery.It is a pity that you get no pleasure from the beauty of the countryside,you cdont need money to do that.
Typos corrected !!! Richard Carter you and you alone are responsible for your own “chip”. As adults we take responsibility for our own feelings and choices we make. If people behave badly or have a different opinion to us then the feelings we have in relation to that are our own. We can then choose how to respond accordingly.
So your comment or should I say ” blame” for having a ” northern chip” being the fault of others rather than an acknowledgement of your own emotional competence shows you up to be the immature one sided person that you really are. Rather than accept that are 2 sides to the debate and takes a calm and reasoned look at both decides you instead rant and blame and accuse and intimidate. Your arguments on this site are to all intents and purposes – completely irrelevant and add no real value. Which is a shame as you are also shooting yourself in the foot.
No need to commandeer your teddy for use as a projectile. By far and away the most hurtful personal insult on this thread is by you:
…shows you up to be the immature one sided person that you really are.
I have not addressed anyone with anything as genuinely hostile and unpleasant as that. And your first paragraph has me at a loss. It seems to be suggesting that if one gets annoyed because someone annoys you, then it’s ones own fault for getting annoyed? Most peculiar. Indeed, it appears to be some strange, non-sequitur, Stop HS2 logic to me. My annoyance is borne of the appalling selfishness of the “Stop HS2” campaigners and their endless self-centered bleating, and their dreadful arrogance in assuming that citing “nose” and “property blight” are genuine reasons to overturn government policy aimed at improving the economic prospects for millions of people. And, might I add, I’m all too aware that my arguments are “completely irrelevant” as far as yourself is concerned, as no doubt is the livelihood of anybody outside your immediate social circle of nimbys.
Good day to you.
anyone casually reading through your contributions to this site Richard can greatly sympathise with Nellp. How about abit of analysis of your own motives Richard – you might learn something
Don’t get upset Nellp. This is the blogosphere. Things are not as they first seem.
I don’t work for the CIA or anything, but Richard Carter shows a lot of characteristics of a social media professional. Richard Carter is most likely a ‘nom de web’. The ‘real’ person behind the postings could be a woman or a soft southern bed wetter.
In this day and age the social media are powerful public information tools. Penny has done a fantastic job and got this site noticed. So good that the opposition have noticed and are paying people like Richard Carter to attack us.
I can see how his posts have upset you. S/he’s very good at her job. But things may not be as they seem. And anyway, you might feel angry, but it’s not like you’re about to have a punch up in the pub!
P.S. I’ve just heard that a foul smelling tannery is seeking planning permission right beside where Richard Carter lives.
The more you actually read the proposal documents and with any background in railway engineering the more you come to the consideration that this is really only about how to get another commuter line into London from the likes of Milton Keynes and how to get all those who’s jobs were originally north of Rugby but are now in London to pay for it or risk ever more hours commuting.
As HS2 themselves seem to accept partially some of their original economic claims just don’t match the case on the ground even though they are accepted as current fact in either the WebTag or the Passenger demand forecasting handbook