HS2 Update for February 2011

JOIN THE FIGHT TO SAVE WENDOVER AND THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES FROM HS2

The Coalition Government has announced that the high-speed rail (HS2) route through the Wendover area is still its preferred choice. There will now be a consultation based on this route.

All three shortlisted routes would cause irreparable damage to the Chilterns, whilst bringing no benefit whatsoever to our area or to our nation as a whole. The ‘preferred’ route through the Wendover area would devastate our beautiful countryside and villages and bring at least seven years of building chaos, road diversions, noise, dust, heavy construction traffic and caravans for hundreds of construction workers.

On completion of the line, trains would rush non-stop through Wendover on a 10-metre high viaduct every few minutes between 5am and midnight. Government papers show that engineers considered burying the line in a 2-mile-long tunnel at Wendover. But they rejected this as a tunnel would have added £370 million to the cost (estimated at £34 billion for the London to Birmingham section of the line).

Trains capable of travelling at 250mph have not yet been designed, so it is impossible to know how loud they would be. The HS2 Action Alliance has been organising ‘noise demos’ to give an idea of the sound of a high-speed train, including one in Wendover in December. But the recordings cannot be played at full volume for Health and Safety reasons and the real sound of HS2 would reverberate far further with the train elevated on a viaduct.

The impact of HS2 on the countryside would be terrible. Ancient woodlands, nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are at risk, as are more than 50 rare species of wildlife living near to the route through Bucks. Tunnelling through the chalk hills of the Chilterns presents a major risk of pollution, and could lead to long-term damage to water supplies.

PLEASE TAKE PART IN THE CONSULTATION IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR VILLAGE AND COUNTRYSIDE

We urge every resident in Wendover and the surrounding areas to take part in the consultation, which is due to start later in February, and to voice their opposition to these devastating plans. We will provide information on how to take part as soon as it becomes available.

If you can help deliver information about the consultation to your neighbours or would like to help in any other way, please contact Marion Clayton on 622862 or email wendoverhs2@btinternet.com