HS2 Ltd recently issued a press release about the community forums, in which they claimed that “the community decides who will attend the forums, not HS2 Ltd”.
But it’s becoming increasingly clear that whatever nice words HS2 Ltd use, they don’t really want it to happen like that.
For instance at the recent Dunsmore, Wendover & Halton community forum, a HS2 Ltd representative shocked attendees by saying that they’d rather not have anyone opposed to HS2 coming to the meetings.
Whether or not it would suit the HS2 Ltd staff to just have sycophantic railway fans along, that’s not community engagement.
The communities affected did not ask for HS2 tracks, they have been imposed on them. And that means in the forums, HS2 Ltd staff need to listen to people who don’t like HS2, who don’t like the changes HS2 will bring to their neighbourhoods, and who demand the best possible levels of mitigation from HS2.
(As it happens, everyone except the HS2 staff at the Wendover forum opposed HS2.)
If todays news about the rail lines being sold for scrap is anything to go by I hate to think how much more HS2 would eventually cost.
Chairman of HS2 said in Sunday Times today that the £2bn spend per annum on HS2 will be same as currently spent on Crossrail–surely Govt contribution is £0.5bn per annum so where is the rest coming from.
Its about time this was clarified once and for all
He still thinks he can win lots more hearts and minds so good luck with that if the community forums are anything to go by.
The graphic on the web version says trains will go at up to 260 mph
That person should not be allowed to attend any other forums and in a private company would probably be fired