Here are some recent news items about HS2:
Bucks Advertiser: Grieve: HS2 will not run alongside M40
Dominic Grieve has spoken out about HS2, saying that he does not believe there is any possibility of the line running alongside the M40.
…Mr Grieve also said that he did not believe that the spur which would link the route to Heathrow airport and run through Denham will go ahead if Heathrow does not get a third runway.
Inside Housing: Camden rejects HS2 compensation plan
The council that will lose most homes if a £33 billion high speed rail line goes ahead has vowed to continue its fight despite the government promising a £1.3 billion compensation package.
Bucks Free Press: Spend High Speed 2 cash on police, say crime chief contenders
MONEY spent on High Speed 2 should be put to better use by funding the police, crime commissioner candidates have said.
Three contenders to become the new big cheese at Thames Valley Police have criticised the £33bn rail scheme as they stepped up their election campaigns this week.
Birmingham Post:HS2 payouts ‘should not cloud environmental blight’
Payouts to families affected by the High Speed Rail line should not be cloud the environmental “blight” a Midland transport boss has warned.
Proposals setting out compensation packaged for homeowners on the proposed HS2 route were released this week and described by the Government as “generous”.
However Coun Mike Maryon, transport chief at Staffordshire Country Council, said the impact of the scheme amounted to more than pounds and pence.
He said: “High speed rail is being imposed on Staffordshire against our wishes and without any real benefit to the county.
Bucks Free Press: MP raises HS2 concerns with Chief Executive
A SOUTH Bucks MP raised concerns at the lack of detailed information over HS2 when he met the project’s Chief Executive yesterday.
Aylesbury MP David Lidington spoke with Alison Munro, Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, and two members of her team for more than an hour to raise issues about the proposed scheme.
During the meeting at the House of Commons Mr Lidington raised concerns at the Community Forum process, the noise impact of HS2 and mitigation measures – as well as what he said was a lack of detail being provided on noise and construction sites and the poor availability of information on HS2 Ltd’s website.
Uxbridge Gazette: HS2 communication breakdown
CAMPAIGNERS are furious at HS2 Ltd’s latest attempt to communicate with people who may be affected by the line.
In the community forums, which residents’ groups have been holding with the company, members asked HS2 to do more to help those who are still in the dark about the project.
They asked for a letter to be sent giving an overview of the plans and how it would impact on people in the borough, in particular the elderly who may not have access to the HS2 website and online documents…
Keri Brennan, of Hillingdon Against HS2, told the Gazette: “…The whole point of the letter was to make sure that people who could not use the website were kept in the loop, and had something simple and straightforward that spelled it out to them. This is just a link to the website. What a waste this is. I should be shocked by HS2 Ltd, but now this is no longer surprise.”