HS2 minister takes centre stage at community board meeting

Andrew Stephenson MP, the minister responsible for heading up the High Speed 2 (HS2) national rail project was guest of honour at a joint working group meeting of a number of local community boards held online on Monday evening (1 March).

The East West Rail & HS2 Joint Working Group is a joint initiative between three community boards: Buckingham & Villages, Haddenham & Waddesdon and Winslow & Villages. The areas covered by these boards are directly affected by the HS2 and/or East West Rail programmes.

With the help of Buckingham MP Greg Smith, an approach was made to Andrew Stephenson to address questions from local communities on HS2. The group was invited to put forward three questions to Mr Stephenson. The questions chosen addressed a range of topics from the impact of ongoing works on local areas, the spiralling costs and timescale of the project and measures in place to hold contractors and sub-contractors to account. Attendees at the meeting were also given the opportunity to ask further questions of the minister and gain assurances that their concerns would be heard. This included concerns about the impact the project is having on the mental health and wellbeing of local residents, which board members highlighted, is taking its toll and queried how this would be addressed.

The working group meets monthly and comprises more than 30 members ranging from Buckinghamshire Council members to residents and Parish Councillors. The meetings are also attended by Greg Smith MP and representatives from Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Council’s Programme Team.

John Chilver, Chairman of the working group and Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Property & Assets said: “We are extremely grateful to the minister for taking time to speak to us on Monday evening. HS2 is a matter of real concern to many of those in our local area but sometimes they feel their voices are not being heard. Being able to speak directly to the minister responsible for overseeing the project through to completion is a real coup and gives us the opportunity to put the concerns of local people direct to the heart of government.”