Last week, The Sunday Express picked up on the backlash on social media coming from flood-hit areas, asking whether the money earmarked for HS2 would be better spent on flood defences, or even clearing up areas where insurers won’t cover them.
This sentiment has of course been going on for a while as you can see from some of these comments from before the recent floods;
@snug_gallery I’d sooner spend all the money that’s being spent on #HS2 on #flood defences around the country.
— Chris Hopkins (@designs_photos) November 14, 2015
@RippedOffBriton Would rather see flood prevention than HS2, more of a priority until the world gets a grip of climate change.
— Paul Leslie (@Tartanfox00) November 23, 2015
£56bn for #HS2 will look even more like a stupid waste of as more images of places with missing flood defences come through #StormDesmond
— Joe Rukin (@joerukin) December 5, 2015
And what the Express covered from this month was just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s some more of the highlights:
@doctorcdf @CriminologyUK Agree; if conference call good enough for flood emergency; why not make them the norm?. HS2 dinosaur thinking.
— judy eames (@kaminjude) December 27, 2015
Yet to hear a sensible answer to the question of why we are spending billions on HS2 but won’t spend millions on sufficient flood defences.
— Stephen Pollard (@stephenpollard) December 29, 2015
Seems odd to spend £80bn on a railway that heads into flood lands. Surely the money might be put to better use. #hs2
— Simon Fellowes (@simonfspeak) December 28, 2015
@Joannechocolat @wildwalkerwoman Have you seen how much proposed for flood spending compared with HS2?
— Flıss Hawksworth (@FHawksworth) December 30, 2015
Floods would have left HS2 ‘Submerged’ in Leeds https://t.co/YTcv1w5735 #HS2 #Leeds #Woodlesford pic.twitter.com/nW3NtZdR6l
— The London Economic (@LondonEconomic) December 29, 2015
NOW can we ditch the waste-of-money white elephant that is HS2, & spend the cash on flood defences & storm drains?????
— Anne Pettit (@SmartCarNut) December 27, 2015
@YorkFloods @Anna_Soubry @professor_dave Really need to suspend HS2 and use the money for a full flood program for the whole of the UK
— VR Safety Ltd. (@VRSafety) December 30, 2015
Devastation up north is terrible & flood defence inadequate but billions spent on HS2 will mean everyone can flee to London 20 min quicker.
— Adrian Mourby (@AdrianMourby) December 28, 2015
We need more water in the south east..build a canal…instead of hs2 that takes flood water down to us…the Romans would of…
— joey heroin (@joeyheroin) January 2, 2016
Instead of #HS2 colleges perhaps we should invest in flood defence and climate change colleges – Leeds section of #HS2 would be underwater
— Frances Cutler (@frances_cutler) December 29, 2015
@David_Cameron #COBRA Perhaps the country’s coffers could be used towards flood defences instead of the pointless & expensive HS2 project.
— Bromnet (@bromnet) December 27, 2015
Not wishing to make a cheap pun but the suggestion to divert HS2 Govt. funds to 21st century flood defences, for me, holds a lot of water
— TonbridgeBlog (@TonbridgeBlog) December 30, 2015
And having said that ; Another £20m on flood defences for the north when £80b is spent on #hs2 to get there
— Robert Lindsay (@RobertLindsay) December 29, 2015
@EnvAgencyMids @mthroup Isn’t the current plan for HS2 going to be devastating for the flood plain in Sandiacre/Stapleford? Best check that!
— Julianne Gascoyne (@JuGascoyne) December 8, 2015
highest priority, NHS, flood defence …. or HS2? https://t.co/EalsJnf8ku
— Paul Cowen (@cowenpj) December 27, 2015
I presume if #HS2 gets built it’ll be fitted with a snorkel to cross the flood plains?
— norm (@norm1037) December 30, 2015
Spending on #flood defences & #climate resilience rather than on #HS2 #Gatwick2 #Heathrow3 #A27 #Hinkley is now the priority for government
— Andrew Durling (@andythegreenie) January 2, 2016
@MikePannett I’d rather see it spent on aid and flood defences than HS2. Thoughts with all those suffering the effects of the floods.
— Lydia2011 (@Lyds170) December 29, 2015
#toptip save those billions to be wasted on #hs2 and spend them on proper flood defences for UK towns and cities #flooding @DavidCameron_MP
— Andy Chadwick (@A_climber3210) December 28, 2015
HS2 should be scrapped & instead, money ploughed nationwide in to draining & flood prevention. More beneficial for all including business
— digitman (@hampson_d) December 30, 2015
But spending money on Tory con HS2 will come before flood defences https://t.co/82oLZTt31J
— Tom (@TButlerRoberts) January 2, 2016
@nationaltrust Scrap HS2 and put money into more beneficial engineering project – proper flood prevention plan https://t.co/Awnphl4Woh
— Lissy Tomlinson (@LissyTom) December 29, 2015
@LabourNorthWest @UKLabour #hs2 bcr 1.5-1, flood defence 8-1. For the Labour Party that should be a no brainer. https://t.co/ZVxYint8bU
— John Duggan (@john_duggan9j) December 27, 2015
#hs2 #Flood until London is under water you will see real spending. The floods will go and the train cost will rise. The floods will return.
— Trevor Palin (@Palinimages) January 2, 2016
What’s more important? White Elephants( Co2 producing HS2) or adapting our infrastructure to climate change catastrophes? Ask a flood victim
— daniel firkin flood (@FirkinFlood) December 30, 2015
@BBCr4today #DavidCameron – government should spend money on flood defences #flooding not 3rd #Heathrow runway or #hs2 #peoplebeforebusiness
— The FTR (@YourFTR) December 8, 2015
@ian_panter @kmflett Flood prevention cheaper than defence. Stop HS2, £15bn road schemes, & grants to farmers & grouse moors to wreck land.
— Hugh Jaeger (@HughJaeger) December 29, 2015
Scrap HS2, electrify Midland Mainline and spend saving on flood defences? https://t.co/ptiXYi1fmZ
— George Credland (@GeorgeCredland) December 28, 2015
Sounds like HS2 project managers, and government, did not take a long, hard look at flood plains and river valleys https://t.co/iORxVc1YJd
— Kenneth Armitage (@Dinostratus) December 30, 2015
Scrap massive white elephant #HS2 and put the money into UK flood defences instead.
— Stefan Plebovich (@Stifanovich) December 27, 2015
Dry, safe, warm houses & business in North or trains that are 20 minutes faster? Cancel HS2 now, divert budget to flood defence.
— Peter Lindley (@12million_votes) December 29, 2015
BBC News – HS2 could increase risk of local flooding, say Tory MPs https://t.co/ZJOgKQL837
— Alexander Flood (@alexander_flood) December 28, 2015
Scrap the utterly useless HS2 & spend the £50b on flood defenses up North. Wont happen – too sensible for this lot. https://t.co/RweaH0NcZZ
— JohnRead (@1JohnRead) December 30, 2015
#hs2 or flood defences? Mmmmmm let me see….!
— Andrew Langstone (@2ndcitysuit) December 27, 2015
Tory Plan III: cut spending on flood defences. Desolate North is destroyed by floods obviating the need for HS2 saving billions of pounds.
— Yrotitna (@yrotitna) December 29, 2015
Experts criticise George Osborne over flood protection funding https://t.co/l7TzwL7PdU £1bn just spent on HS2 might have made a difference
— John Keleher (@hs2hearonevoice) December 31, 2015
@all_arsenal @yorkshiregunner now that I do agree with!!
— Craig (@crandall87) December 28, 2015
Wouldn’t it be better spending our cash on infrastructure such as flood defences and better broadband rather than the HS2 ? #justsaying
— Velotastic (@Velotastic) December 8, 2015
@SkyNews @domdyer70 tell Mr Dave to spend the HS2 cash on flood defences coz it will be more useful!
— Eva diva (@Destructo_Dog) December 28, 2015
@andyburnhammp @George_Osborne @MirrorPolitics STOP HS2……GIVE THE MONEY TO FLOOD VICTIMS
— Steven Gregory (@choonz2000) December 29, 2015
How many more floods b4 gvnmnt realise HS2 money shld b spent on flood & water management?! Think fwd not backwards!! #HS2 #floods #petition
— John Wilkes (@ZapPhotography) December 27, 2015
What’s the priority – renewables & flood defences or HS2? https://t.co/TVIDn6coz4
— Paul Leslie (@Tartanfox00) December 28, 2015
Ignoring advice #Osborne recklessly cut #flood defences from 2010, plans spending of £2.3bn in next six years, £15bn on roads,£16bn on HS2.
— Irene Short (@ipasho) December 31, 2015
@yorkshirepost need outboard motors not wasted words. Cancel HS2 & spend money on flood prevention NOW
— gilberdyke spotter (@GilberdykeRail) December 29, 2015
Part Two is here
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