Today, the Sunday Telegraph has published a major news item about the recent Public Accounts Commttee inquiry: we’re really pleased the broadsheets are starting to pick up on this, following several press releases Stop HS2 has issued about it.
Our featured video shows the embarrassment for the Department for Transport when they are forced to reveal that HS2 has been given the poor rating of “AMBER/ RED” by the Major Projects Authority. This means “that successful delivery of the project is in doubt with major risks or issues apparent in a number of key areas. Urgent action is needed to ensure these are addressed, and whether resolution is feasible”.
News about the Public Accounts Committee inquiry has also been published by the Birmingham Post, and our video of the session was featured on the blog of Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe.
In addition Aylesbury MP, David Lidington has written to Frances Maude, the Minister in charge of the MPA, to ask him to provide further details on the report and to place a copy in the library of the House of Commons.
As well the Telegraph also published an article about Justine Greening’s completely ungreen suggestion of moving ancient woodland. You can’t move ancient woodland, but read the article to find out more. (And if are studying for English exams you could call it revision as it even quotes Macbeth – and Joe Rukin, our campaign Co-ordinator.)
- Sunday Telegraph: Red alert over HS2 rail link
- Video: Red-Amber Faces for HS2’s rating at the Department for Transport
- Birmingham Post: HS2 ‘will still go ahead’ despite Queen’s Speech omission, insists DfT
- Steve Baker, MP: Justine Greening must review HS2 in the public interest
- David Lidington MP: A letter to Francis Maude concerning the Major Project Authority and HS2
- Sunday Telegraph: How to protect ancient woodland from HS2 – just move it
You shouldn’t meddle with trees of knowledge (ancient woodlands contain vast amounts of important information about our history). Look what happened to Adam and Eve – they were cast out of their paradise of Eden for defying good advice.
HS2 will cast a lot of people out of their paradises too, and will contribute to casting the whole country into further financial and environmental turmoil.
Evicting people from their homes, carving up the countryside and whooshing people up to the north of England at over 200mph so they can get there and back quicker is madness, especially as it is going to cost such a vast amount of money.
Wouldn’t it be better to spend that money helping people in the less prosperous areas of the UK to develop more local businesses and work opportunities that fit in with their natural environment? Otherwise urban sprawl could sprawl out of control – putting even more ancient woodlands at risk. Whether HS2 is built or not, all growth and development plans need to carefully consider the complex implications for the natural environment.
The Government should listen – if not to their electorate and to people who comment during consultations, then to wisdom from higher places!
Perhaps the government ought to seek Rupert’s opinion……..LOL!
If Rupert is a university professor of some environmental expertise, then they should!
If you’re referring to the Bear, then I think he might prefer his trees to his trains too – but that would be up to his authors and their philosophical viewpoint.
Or could it be another famous Rupert you have in mind?
So many Ruperts to ask, with so little time to save the forests!
The Rupert of whom it was recently decided that “He is unfit to run….” much as the DfT and HS2 Ltd appear to be unfit for purpose.
The point being that even when their own reports are obviously pointing to “issues that need addressing” they seem to carry on regardless and might just as well consult a passing cat provided it gives them the answer that they want to hear.
It is a pity that more of the national press do not pick up on this flawed process and highlight it. As getting the press onside seems to be a big concern for the government,
“issues that need a dressing” – this takes us back to the story of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ again!
Many people in the crowd see HS2 for what it is, while the Government wish to ‘save face’ and continue with it regardless of its inappropriateness.
At what point will a little voice from the crowd be heard by the Government? Will they come to realise the naked truths before the embarrassment becomes reality?
The country is being forced into having this ‘smart silk suit of a train’, when what it really needs is a ‘jeans and a shirt-with-the-sleeves rolled up’ train!