County and district councils challenge government over environmental impact of HS2
Date: 05-10-2010
On October 15, the four District Councils and Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) will jointly host their second ‘summit’ in response to Government proposals for a new High Speed 2 rail line through Buckinghamshire and in particular the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The summit will focus upon the major environmental impact of the proposed line both during construction and operation. The summit has invited key campaign leaders to give their views and discuss how to respond to the proposal. HS2 Ltd has also been invited. Attendance at the meeting, which is being held in Aylesbury, is by invitation only, but outcomes resulting from discussions will be made public afterwards.
Key speakers will include:
Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher (Chairman), Buckinghamshire MPs, Brian Briscoe from HS2 Ltd, representatives from the Department of Transport, Steve Rodrick from the Chiltern Conservation Board, Pete Raine, currently Director of Regeneration, Swale Borough Council but previously Chief Executive of Kent Wildlife Trust (the main organisation in Kent that fought against HS1), George Lambrick to present ‘HS1 to HS2: experiences and lessons from assessing effects on the historic environment’ and Mark Bailey and David Green presenting on the new Buckinghamshire Landscape Information System.
Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment (BCC), Martin Tett, who is acting as host on the day said:
"HS2 will do irreversible damage to Buckinghamshire and in particular the Chiltern’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Much of the proposed route is through the nationally designated and protected area. In Kent, the route for HS1 was amended to avoid the North Downs."
"By contrast, in Bucks, the proposed route deliberately goes through the widest and least spoilt section of the Chilterns. It also threatens people's lives with massive disruption during the building, and noise when completed. People in Buckinghamshire, and indeed across the country, need to be made aware of the terrific environmental damage that will be done if we don’t persuade the Government to change its mind. Our children will not forgive us if we fail."
