Wendover Parish Council HS2 Update – April 2022
WPC have opened a consultation about HS2 and I would urge everyone to add their views. It can be found here: HS2 SURVEY | Wendover Parish (wendover-pc.gov.uk) and closes 22 April. Results of this survey will be important in steering the future thrust of the council as HS2 works continue.
On 23 February, we received a response to our alternative mitigation ideas from Clive Maxwell, Director General, High Speed Rail Group, Department of Transport. His view is that they are not design ready and that EKFB are well underway with the plans for our area. We have not had a response from Andrew Stephenson, HS2 Minister!
The Council have put the EKFB HS2 works update on the website which gives details of the project for March/April: EKFB February 2022 Update (wendover-pc.gov.uk)
On 29 March, from 10am-3pm, EKFB will have their Community Engagement Bus on the Manor Waste, and will be available for residents to see plans and discuss with HS2 staff. It would be great to have a good turnout!
It also shows the conveyor construction path. Please look on the website for future updates as they arise. The Great Missenden to Rocky Lane Schedule is now with Bucks Council, but Schedule 17(3) packages 3 &4 have yet to arrive, now due in April, more than a year overdue. Bucks Council will then need to approve or not within a short period of 8 weeks, and we expect BC Councillors and Officers to fight our corner.
The Working group are continuing to engage with Lord Berkeley who is asking pertinent questions in the House of Lords about costs, levelling up and the issues of funding for other Integrated Rail Plans that would offer greater benefits for the North. The current lobbying of Parliament on our behalf by Murray Stewart is coming to an end, as we are at a point of waiting for Schedule 17(3) plans for the works around Wendover. Our thanks to him for his sterling efforts on our behalf for the past 5 years.
Please check our website regularly as all updates about works/closures are available at www.wendover-pc.gov.uk.
Sheila Bulpett
Chair, WPC HS2 Working Group