Stop HS2 Press Comment: “HS2 is a hugely expensive, environmentally damaging white elephant”

Stop HS2 react to the news that the Government are laying the HS2 Phase 2 Crewe to Manchester bill to Parliament.

Penny Gaines, chair of Stop Hs2 said,
“This latest announcement is full of the same nonsensical spin we’ve heard from the government all along.

“Claims about biodiversity on Phase 2 in the future should be seen in the light of the devastation along the Phase 1 route, where ancient woodland has been ripped out by HS2 Ltd  for temporary structures and thousands of newly planted trees have been left to die because HS2 Ltd didn’t think it worth watering them.

“Most of the carbon costs from HS2 will be occurred by building it.  HS2 Ltd’s own documents show that it will not be carbon neutral for 120 years after opening.  Any claims that HS2 trains will be better than flying should be taken with a huge pinch of salt, given that the government are also saying that HS2 Phase 2 will make it easier to get to Manchester Airport.

“Most of the money from the Integrated Rail Plan is being spent on HS2, with over £72bn being allocated specifically to spending on HS2.  HS2 has more than doubled in cost in even with HS2 East being dropped.

“HS2 is a hugely expensive, environmentally damaging white elephant and should be scrapped immediately.”

Joe Rukin, Stop HS2 co-founder, said
“Given that the original plan for HS2 has changed immeasurably from what was on the table ten years ago, and now that working from home is established and will continue to reduce the numbers of long-distance commuters, you have to ask why this government is hell bent on going ahead with such an environmentally damaging white elephant? The answer of course is that too many people are going to make too much money out of it, and that has always been the only real reason for building HS2.”

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