Final Programme for the Stop HS2 National Convention – STOP HS2 – The national campaign against High Speed Rail 2

WELCOME TO THE STOP HS2 NATIONAL CONVENTION

Saturday 19^th February 2011 – Stoneleigh Park

PROGRAMME

0700	Exhibitor setup – (Warwick Hall)
0900	DOORS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (Stareton Entrance) Convention & Exhibition (Warwick Hall)
	Private Press Reception (Oak Tree Restaurant)
1000	OPENING SESSION (Stareton)
	HS2 is an uncertain bet
	Welcome – Jerry Marshall – Chairman AGAHST Federation of Action Groups Convention Overview – Lizzy Williams – Chairman STOP HS2 Key Note Speaker – Christian Wolmar “Britain’s Leading Transport Commentator”
1115 – 1130	BREAK Cafe and Exhibition Hall opens
1130	BOOK SIGNING Christian Wolmar “Engines of War” (Warwick Hall)
1130 – 1230	CHOICE OF SESSIONS
	HS2 “A Waste of Money” – Geoffrey Robinson MP Labour Coventry North & High Speed Rail, the National Interest and the North-South divide – Mike Geddes (Stareton) The Impact of Spending Cuts and HS2 – Pat Seaman Unite (Avon 1) The Wendover Report – A Financial Analysis of HS2 – Dr John Savin (Wolfson Theatre) Local Authority Structure & Influencing your Council -Councillor Michael Coker (Avon 2) Engaging with the Press – Susan Beck (Avon 2) Laymans Guide to the Business Case – Jerry Marshall (Wolfson 1) Introduction to Social Media – Cameron Wheels (Wolfson 2)
1230 – 1400	LUNCHTIME
	cafe facilities are available within the complex (Oak Tree Restaurant)
	LUNCHTIME SESSION (Stareton) Compensation & Your Property Rights Explained followed by a Compensation Surgery- James Del Mar Knight Frank LLP
1400 -1500	CHOICE OF SESSIONS
	The Impact on the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – Steve Rodrick Chief Officer Chiltern Conservation Board (Stareton) How HS2 will affect Birds – Colin Wilkinson RSPB (Avon 1) Why the HS2 Business Case is Flawed – HS2 Action Alliance (Wolfson Theatre) The Wider Economic Impact of HS2 – Ian Waddell (Avon 2) HS2 & Politics & Archie Taylor (Avon 2) Hammond’s Adventures in HS2 Land – Dr John Savin (Wolfson 1) Online Campaigning – How to Do It – How to get Started & Why it Matters – Penny Gaines (Wolfson 2)
1500–1600	CHOICE OF SESSIONS
	HS2 & The Campaign to Protect Rural England – Mark Sullivan (Stareton) HS2 & The Impact on Wildlife – Stephen Trotter Chief Executive Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (Avon 1) HS2 & The Economy – Paul Withrington Transportwatch (Wolfson Theatre) Setting Up and Running an Action Group – Bernie Douglas (Avon 2) The Importance of your Local Environment – Steve Rodrick (Avon 2) The Core Message of STOP HS2 – Lizzy Williams (Wolfson 1) Ideas for Fundraising – Deidre Vernon (Wolson 2)
1600-1700	CLOSING SESSION (Stareton)

	HS2 & Sustainability – Professor John Whitelegg HS2 & the European Connection – Mike Natrass MEP UKIP Thank You – Lizzy Williams

We hope you find Saturday informative and of use. Thank you very much for joining us.

STOP HS2.

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Tags: News

Good Publicity, Good Intentions- ( and some Not So Good)

I fear thatsome of the publicity materials available at the weekend, need revision, lest they rebound.

Many opposed to HS 2 urge alternatives such as upgrading existing railway routes, especially electrification- yet one group cites “Ugly overhead gantries…” as one objection to the HS project.
What do they suggest? Batteries?

“25 m wide trackbed…” No it isn’t. It’s just 11.5m between the masts supporting the wires,and they stand on either side, over a metre outside the trackbed itself.

On flat ground, the total width between the fences is “up to 22m”.

Another leaflet states “HS2 tracks will be much wider… ( than those in the picture, presumably) the width of two three lane motorways,at least.”

Once again, it isn’t true. It is still 11.5m between the masts, with the fenced width “up to 22m”.

Obviously, where the line lies in a cutting, or on an embankment, the corridor will be wider to allow for the slopes: just like along a motorway!

The total width between the fences, to accommodate two rail tracks, the electrical supply equipment and strip access road, is still only 22m in total; that is maybe slightly more than HALF the width of ONE three lane motorway, or roughly the combined width of a typical dual carriageway.

* * Now the two 25m “vegetation free zones” may be another matter. What does it really mean? * *

Nobody I spoke to at Stoneleigh seemed to be sure exactly what it involved.

Bare earth, perhaps, maintained with millions af gallons of weedkiller annually? Somehow I doubt it !

If it means ‘no trees’, well, that is what the main lines attempted in steam days, so as to reduce fire risk, but , unlike in those days, as these areas are outside the boundary fence, how could they ever be controlled?

Grass is technically “vegetation”, but it stabilises the surface. Does anybody really understand what it means?

If it is really the intention to lay and maintain twin 25m strips for over 100 miles? If so, then that alone would be be reason enough to condemn the whole scheme! Could this really be the intention ?.

(Of course if that were really the case, one could always invest in cement manufacturing, reopen Chinnor, Shipton on Cherwell, Itchington and many other cement works, open up new chalk quarries in what remains of the Chilterns
and get filthy rich!)

To return to the leaflets, what is this about freight trains? They couldn’t run during the day, not for the reason given, but because of the speed difference compared with HS passenger trains.

“Tunnels extra big”? Is 11m diameter (double track) and 7m for each of a pair of single track tunnels so very much greater? Go and have a look at any road tunnel!

As Lizzie reminded everyone on Saturday,at the close of the Convention, don’t make statements that can easily be rubbished. There are many telling points in these documents ,but the publishers must avoid “own goals”.

3 comments to “Final Programme for the Stop HS2 National Convention”

elaine

20th February 2011 at 11:07 pm

I think that john is right we do need to have a co ordinated facts we all pick up on different things and may end up misquoting as do the politions .They quote 9,000 jobs could be made do we have any idea how many would be lost? Where are we going to get land in green belt areas to re site schools and sports facilities?How can the big society be created when the places where people volenteer to coach youngsters have dissapeared?
John Webber

20th February 2011 at 10:05 pm

Good Publicity, Good Intentions- ( and some Not So Good)

I fear thatsome of the publicity materials available at the weekend, need revision, lest they rebound.

Many opposed to HS 2 urge alternatives such as upgrading existing railway routes, especially electrification- yet one group cites “Ugly overhead gantries…” as one objection to the HS project.
What do they suggest? Batteries?

“25 m wide trackbed…” No it isn’t. It’s just 11.5m between the masts supporting the wires,and they stand on either side, over a metre outside the trackbed itself.

On flat ground, the total width between the fences is “up to 22m”.

Another leaflet states “HS2 tracks will be much wider… ( than those in the picture, presumably) the width of two three lane motorways,at least.”

Once again, it isn’t true. It is still 11.5m between the masts, with the fenced width “up to 22m”.

Obviously, where the line lies in a cutting, or on an embankment, the corridor will be wider to allow for the slopes: just like along a motorway!

The total width between the fences, to accommodate two rail tracks, the electrical supply equipment and strip access road, is still only 22m in total; that is maybe slightly more than HALF the width of ONE three lane motorway, or roughly the combined width of a typical dual carriageway.

* * Now the two 25m “vegetation free zones” may be another matter. What does it really mean? * *

Nobody I spoke to at Stoneleigh seemed to be sure exactly what it involved.

Bare earth, perhaps, maintained with millions af gallons of weedkiller annually? Somehow I doubt it !

If it means ‘no trees’, well, that is what the main lines attempted in steam days, so as to reduce fire risk, but , unlike in those days, as these areas are outside the boundary fence, how could they ever be controlled?

Grass is technically “vegetation”, but it stabilises the surface. Does anybody really understand what it means?

If it is really the intention to lay and maintain twin 25m strips for over 100 miles? If so, then that alone would be be reason enough to condemn the whole scheme! Could this really be the intention ?.

(Of course if that were really the case, one could always invest in cement manufacturing, reopen Chinnor, Shipton on Cherwell, Itchington and many other cement works, open up new chalk quarries in what remains of the Chilterns
and get filthy rich!)

To return to the leaflets, what is this about freight trains? They couldn’t run during the day, not for the reason given, but because of the speed difference compared with HS passenger trains.

“Tunnels extra big”? Is 11m diameter (double track) and 7m for each of a pair of single track tunnels so very much greater? Go and have a look at any road tunnel!

As Lizzie reminded everyone on Saturday,at the close of the Convention, don’t make statements that can easily be rubbished. There are many telling points in these documents ,but the publishers must avoid “own goals”.
Leon Metcalfe

18th February 2011 at 3:18 pm

Keep up the good work. My concern is that there are too many competing Action Groups and although there are local issues our financial resources should be pooled to ensure the best result.

Comments are closed.