Cubbington Against HS2 sent out their reaction to John Hayes saying there will be a review of the 250 pear tree:
During a debate in the House of Commons on Friday 25th January 2015, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, John Hayes MP, announced that he had “asked for a new arboreal study to see whether the Cubbington pear tree can be moved”, rather than be felled, as the current plans for the High Speed Two (HS2) project require.
250 year old pear tree to be axed for HS2
The Minister conceded that the Cubbington pear tree, which he identified as “the second oldest in Britain”, has been “the subject of a considerable campaign” to save it.
This statement comes in the week that two members of the Cubbington Action Group against HS2, Rosemary Guiot and Peter Delow, had appeared before the House of Commons HS2 Select Committee to appeal for the HS2 design to be changed to incorporate a bored tunnel under South Cubbington Wood; this tunnel would allow the tree to remain in its current location, unmolested, and would alsoavoid the extensive damage to the wood itself that the current plans entail.
The Minister’s announcement was made despite an environmental impact assessment by HS2 Ltd, the Government-owned company that is charged with designing HS2, finding that the translocation of the tree “is extremely unlikely to be successful and is not proposed”.
In his speech, the Minister commented that “ancient woodlands are an important part of our natural heritage so they need to be protected wherever possible” and ventured that “the best way of doing that is to avoid them in the first place”.
Peter Delow, Chairman of the Cubbington Action Group against HS2, commented:
“This announcement came as a complete surprise. Whilst I welcome the Minister’s concern for the fate of Cubbington’s veteran tree, the findings of the environmental impact assessment, if they are to be believed, do not augur well for the outcome of the new assessment.
“I heartily concur with the Minister’s view that ancient woodlands need to be protected, and his assessment that avoidance of damage is the best way of achieving this. If he is serious about this, then I ask him to look at our proposals for a tunnel that will do just that for both the wood and the tree.”
So Cameron’s Ministers defy logic through 5 years. The May election requires displacement of absurd people who hone sham too and hope you do not notice their ignorance and their lack of expertese.
Are HS2 spending £1m per diem on the project of minimal benefit to the people in Warwickshire.
If 30 MPs prepare now call for suspension of the Hybrid Bill for HS2 after the election who ever is the new leader in Government Labour or Conservative may have to resign on a motion of no confidence in wasting over £400M for a project reconsidered in the wake of the House of Lords Economics Affairs Inquiry identifying the shortcomings in analysis and the logic of absurdity that as a result of HS2 regeneration will happen as mushrooms and toadstools emerge under the shade of the ancient pear tree. Time and further spending of borrowed money may not be available for the doubted project based on Adonis shallow analysis in 2010 which the Coalition should have questioned and which the Transport Select Committee endorsed for this very costly and destructive construction programme. Thankfully the House of Lords applied analysis the Transport Select Committee MPs and Chair did not achieve. Start again and be more realistic and address the current motorways, roads and railway and get busy sorting out the old and turn away from this costly and limited project please. Where are the 30 MPs to launch the actions to suspend this project and advance more logical projects to help most people.