Some recent news items

Bucks Free Press: Protest petition launched over HS2 financing

AN ONLINE petition has been set up in protest at proposals to give more money and power to the company in charge of planning the route of the HS2 railway line.

PS Sign the petition here: Scrap plans for the HS2 ‘Paving Bill’ – http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46498

The Spectator: Hailo matters more than HS2 – but we just can’t see it

…Similarly, the really significant improvements to rail travel over the past 30 years have mostly been intangible improvements. Intelligent pricing which charges more for using trains at busy times — and far less at other times — has reduced overcrowding. Wi-Fi on trains, as I have said repeatedly, might be more valuable to travellers than money spent on faster trains.

Railway signals seem a ludicrously Victorian idea, relying on line of sight — and requiring enormous distances to be maintained between trains travelling on the same line. Why are we spending £30 billion on HS2 before we have spent £10 million investigating the intangible alternative?

Christian Wolmar: Rail 715: HS2 is still a big Y

Now it gets serious. The publication of the northern sections of HS2 provide, at last, a real insight into the extent of the scheme and the difficulties it faces.

Coventry Telegraph: Row over Labour plans to shunt HS2 depot into Warwickshire

A MAJOR row has broken out after Labour announced it would block plans to build a high speed rail maintenance depot in Birmingham – and could build it in Warwickshire instead.

The proposal has been condemned by a Warwickshire MP who pointed out that Birmingham will benefit most from high speed rail because it is to get a major new station in the city centre.

This is Tamworth: MP will fight if HS2 depot gets moved to town greenbelt land

Mr Byles said: “I am furious that a senior Labour MP, who supports HS2 and is adamant that it is good for the country, can have the barefaced cheek to say that he doesn’t want any of the bad bits in his constituency.

“Instead he is trying to dump it into green belt land in Warwickshire.

“In North Warwickshire we don’t support HS2, and we don’t want Mr Byrne dumping his industrial garbage on what’s left of our green belt.”

BBC News: Bridgewater Place apology over HS2 warning letter

Letters warning residents of a Leeds tower block they could lose their homes due to the proposed HS2 route were sent by mistake, developers have admitted.

Warrington Guardian: Hundreds turn out for HS2 public meeting in Culcheth

MORE than 200 residents attended a public meeting to protest about plans for the new High Speed Two route in Culcheth.

Organised by the Friends of the Linear Park and Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, residents agreed to set up a plan to set up an action group.

HS2 meeting in Killamarsh – Killamarsh – Local News – Postcode Gazette

Residents can find out more about how the high speed rail proposals could impact on Killamarsh at a public meeting which has been called by the local MP.

The Guardian: MPs blame west coast mainline fiasco on ‘complete lack of common sense’

“Given that the department got it so wrong over this competition, we must feel concern over how properly it will handle future projects, including HS2 and Thameslink.”

Middlewich Guardian: Will HS2 be good or bad for Middlewich?

RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on the proposed route of the HS2 train line that will cut between Middlewich and Winsford.

Cheshire East Council wants to know what the controversial high-speed rail link means to its communities to help shape discussions when the consultation period begins.

This is Leicestershire: Leicestershire County Council to raise HS2 concerns |

County councillors will ask developers of the HS2 rail line to reconsider part of the plan.

Leicestershire County Council has agreed to raise concerns with the Government and MPs about the line, which will cut through north west Leicestershire.

Ruislip & Eastcote Community: Worried neighbours flock to first public face-to-face on HS2

SCORES of Ruislip people turned up for their first chance to question HS2 representatives publicly.

A police officer was on standby but despite people queueing out the door proceedings were orderly enough.

Yorkshire Evening Post: Leeds MP voices concerns over £32bn HS2 route

A Leeds MP has held crucial talks with bosses behind the controversial HS2 scheme.

Elmet and Rothwell MP Alec Shelbrooke went to Westminster yesterday to speak to Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin about concerns over the project in his constituency, which include a 60ft viaduct in Woodlesford.