There has been some truly horrendous flooding in Yorkshire over the last day, with a month’s worth of rain falling a few hours.
The flooded areas include the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, which was so badly affected that shoppers and workers had to stay at the centre overnight.
Meadowhall is relevant to Stop HS2, because it was to be the original site of a Sheffield HS2 station, before that idea got ditched and replaced by a spur into central Sheffield.
HS2 is often touted in bad weather as providing an alternative to the existing rail network. Trains not running due to bad weather, ask HS2 supporters – that’s OK, it will always be sunny after HS2 and you’ll always be able to travel whatever the weather does. Except, that doesn’t really work when an entire district is affected.
Meanwhile building HS2 means cutting down trees and woodland (a known preventative for flooding), as well as the immense carbon costs of building HS2.
The so-called “independent review” of HS2 is nothing of the sort, if according to reports that much of the review was dictated by or written by staff of DfT (Dept.for Transport), the author, Douglas Oakervee, being a HS2 Ltd. stooge. There has never been an independent review into HS2, that’s the problem. There should be a national transport strategy, focussed on what the UK needs, rather than HS2 which was dreamt up by politicians for political reasons..
Very doubtful and very selective use of statistics on growth in passenger numbers are mentioned, when the largest increase has been in commuting, not long distance. For obvious reasons e.g. rapid telecommunications, skype etc.,long distance business travel where the suggested demand will arise, is reducing in all areas.
The report said it’s not affordable within its present budget, they got that bit right but we have been saying that for some years, when the Govt. was saying HS2 was on time and on budget!
Meanwhile, Lord Berkeley the deputy chairman of the review, who was extraordinarily not asked to contribute to the review, is preparing a dissenting report to civil servants for the attention of the PM.
So, the farce continues, will the PM listen, or just go ahead, regardless of public opinion including members of Northern Councils, which are opposed to this nonsense, however it’s dressed-up by its proponents.
When will this deceitful dishonest and downright destructive company be charged with fraud. Oh, I forgot HS2 Ltd are immune from prosecution
Comments that a “called-in application that will allow lorry movements to a HS2 construction site in North London has been approved by Housing and Transport Secretaries” combined with Johnson wary of putting HS2 on scrap heap, plus the fact the DfT appears to be either writing or directing the Oakervee review, add to suspicions that it’s a done deal, and has already been approved.
Meanwhile, Johnson hasn’t even read the review!
The environment should be a key consideration, but we shouldn’t worry about the devastating effects of HS2! Meanwhile, has anyone looked at the quite appalling designs for the viaducts near Wendover? Further vandalism.
It’s very likely that the existing protests will continue and probably expand to other sites, until the Govt. bothers to listen instead of carrying on regardless. The whole process continues to stink.