Introduction

 

In January, 2012 the Government announced its decision to proceed with High Speed 2 (HS2) linking London and Birmingham, later extending to Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Great concern over the project continues to grow. The business case is seriously flawed and represents very poor value for money to the taxpayer. It will make a minimal contribution to the country’s carbon reduction target and the environmental impact will be devastating. Above all, the country cannot afford it. While we struggle with the worst recession in peace-time, HS2 will cost about £33 billion – a sum that is unlikely to fall.

An alliance of councils, collectively known as “51m”, has come together to challenge the evidence base about the HS2 project. They are known as “51m” because that represents how much HS2 will cost each and every Parliamentary Constituency…£51million.

HS2 phase two initial preferred route plan and profile maps

To view the maps published by the Department for Transport on 28 January, 2013 click here.

Property & Compensation Consultation

The Judicial Review into HS2 has decided that plans to compensate 300,000 homeowners over the rail scheme were unlawful and the Goverment must now re-run the consultation process . Objectors had said 170,000 families will be unable to sell blighted homes during the project’s first stage from 2017 to 2026. Another 130,000 will be hit in the second phase due to end in 2033. It was also argued that consultation exercise that had been carried out lacked enough detail to be fair. Mr Justice Ouseley agreed. He said: “The consultation in respect of blight and compensation was all in all so unfair as to be unlawful.”

To visit the compensation section at the HS2 Ltd website click here.

To read the covering letter for the response submitted by  51m click here. To read the response document click here. 

Interim Exceptional Hardship Consultation Extended to 20 May

To read the press release issued by HS2AA click here

Buckinghamshire's Mitigation Blueprint for HS2

To read the background to the document click here

To read an overview of the document click here

Legal challenges to HS2

Councils Continue to Fight Decision which Flies in the Face of Reality

The Appeal lodged by 51m releating to the Judicial Review decision will be heard in the Royal Courts of Justice on 10th June.

 To read the response from 51m following the Court decision click here.

For media enquiries about the Judicial Review contact Rachel Prance on 01494 732903 or 0771 1040 758 or email rprance@chiltern.gov.uk

National Audit Office - Report into HS2

To read the report - HS2: A Review of Early Programme Preparation, published by the NAO on 16 May, 2013 click here.

Challenging HS2

51m continues to challenge the case for HS2. It urges all residents, wherever they live, to let their MP know how they feel about HS2. Use our 'Write to your MP' link at the top of the page to find out who your MP is and how to contact them.

Transport Select Committee findings

The Transport Select Committee report into HS2, released on 8 November 2011.

To read the TSC's full report: click here.

To read the overview chapter of 51m's submission to the Transport Select Committe click here.

51m Responds to the Department ForTransport's Announcement on the HS2 Northern Route

We agree with the Prime Minister that what this country needs is investment and growth in our infrastructure but we need it now, not in 2033. Behind the ‘spin’ the reality is that the Business Case for HS2 has collapsed, the capacity argument has been exposed in the High Court and the economic benefits are not supported by any serious economists. HS2 will cost taxpayers an eye watering £33bn, equivalent to the country’s entire defence budget, and yet has been shown conclusively to be poor value for money.

To read the full statement from 51m click here.
 

The Case Against HS2

To read the article by Chris Stokes which appeared in the December edition of Modern Railways click here.

51m Proposal -The Better Alternative 

51m has produced an alternative proposal to deliver significant additional capacity for the West Coast Main Line many years sooner than 2026 and at less than 10% of the cost of HS2. To read proposal click here.

Community Forums

To view the latest programme of community forum meetings on the Draft Environmental Statement that are taking place in May and June click here.

Buckinghamshire Councils have organised three events to provide information and assist residents with responses to the HS2 Ltd consultation on the Draft Environmental Statement. Detals as follows -

Wed 5 June: 6:30pm - 8:30pm @ Stoke Mandeville Community Centre

Mon17 June: 6:30pm - 8:30pm @ Amersham Community Centre

Wed 26th June: 6:30pm - 8:30pm @ Twyford Village Hall

To view the suggested programme for Engagement and Anticipated Design/Timings with respect to Coummunity Forums click here.

For information on the public meetings please go the Forums page of this website and click on the relevant community forum. 

In November HS2 Ltd published details of construction compounds, road crossings/relaignments and impacts on Public Rights of Way for each community forum. This information has been added to the Forums section of this website.

The West Coast Main line Franchise

To read 51m's comments on this continuing fiasco click here.

Blight and Compensation

Following the Secretary of State's announcement to proceed with H2S, guidance has been issued by The Department for Transport relating to Blight and Compensation. Click here to go to relevant section on the Department’s website to access the current information on these issues.

An introduction to HS2 Ltd's approach to managing noise

To read the report published in September, 2012 click here.

Noise Mitigation

Buckinghamshire County Council commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to produce some practical guides on noise and noise mitigation.  The County Council also wanted to get an idea of whole life costs. The following Factsheets have now been published to help those affected by HS2.

Factsheet 1 - Railway Noise Overview click here.
Factsheet 2 - Full Heigh Noise Barriers click here
Factsheet 3 - Low height Noise Barriers click here
Factsheet 4 - Tunnels click here
Factsheet 5 - Earth Berms and Cuttings click here
Factshhet 6 - Viaducts and Bridges click here

Briefing Notes

The following briefing notes have been published by Buckinghamshire County Council

Ecology - to read the note click here.
Landscaping - to read the note click here.
Rights of Way - to read the note click here.
Socio-economic - to read the note click here.
Water resources - to read the note click here.

Towards a Code of Construction Practice

To read the Community Forums document published in, 2012 by HS2 Ltd click here.

Review of HS2 Route through Bucks - Engineering and Landscape Impact

To read the report produced by Jacobs on the impact of HS2 through Buckinghamshire, published in August, 2012 click here .

Productive Use of Rail Travel Time

In June, 2009 the DfT published a report on Productive Rail Travel Time and the Valuation of Travel Time Savings for Rail Business Travellers. To read the report click here.

Cabinet Office - Major Projects Authority

The DfT admitted to the Public Accounts Committee in April that the Major Projects Authority's assessment of HS2 was that ' the successful delivery of the project is in doubt.' Despite repeated requests the Government has refused to publish the MPA's assessment.

Environmental Impact Assessment  Consultation - 51m Response

51m has submitted its response to the HS2 Ltd  EIA Scope and Methodology Report Consultation. 
To read the 51m Response document  click here 
Appendix 1 - Impact Matrix click here, Significance Matrix click here, Suggested Methodology click here.

To read the response from The Wildlife Trusts click here.

Rights of Way Maps

To read a briefing note published in December, 2012 by Bucks County Council click here.

You can view the schedule of HS2 impacts on Public Rights of Way and proposed new carriageways in Buckinghamshire click here

You can view maps showing the right of way affected by HS2 by clicking on the following:-

Calvert
Calvert South 
Chetwode 
Denham 
Ellesborough 
Fleet Marston 
Great Missenden 
Missenden 
Preston Bisset 
Quainton 
Quainton West 
South Aylesbury 
Stoke Mandeville 
Stone 
The Lee 
Turweston
Twyford 
Waddesdon 
Wendover 
West Aylesbury 
Westbury

Briefing Note - October, 2011

51m produced a briefing note on HS2 highlighting the key issues about the project. Please click here to read it.

Consultation

The Government's consultation closed on 29 July, 2011. 51m submitted a formal response to the Department for Transport/HS2 Ltd.

To see the 51m response please click here hs2response 

To see the appendices which support the 51m response, click on the individual links below:

Appendix 1 - Optimised alternative to HS2
Appendix 2 - Review of the economic case
Appendix 3 - Review of the business case
Appendix 4 - HS2 route capacity and reliability
Appendix 5 - local and regional impacts
Appendix 6 - Carbon impacts
Appendix 7 - Freight capacity issues
Appendix 8 - Capacity and service benefits
Appendix 9 - Impacts on GWML
Appendix 10 - Disruption to existing services
Appendix 11 - Links to Heathrow
Appendix 12 - HS2 - HS1 connection
Appendix 13 - Assessment of sustainability
Appendix 14 - Government policy and HS2
Appendix 15 - Alternative transport priorities in the North
Appendix 16 - Lessons from other major transport projects
Appendix 17 - West Midlands - London review of alternatives
Appendix 18 - Acoustic review

Supplementary Submission

To see the responses submitted by the individual authorities which form 51m click on the name of the authority below:

Aylesbury Vale District Council
Buckinghamshire County Council
Chiltern District Council
Cherwell District Council
Lichfield District Council
London Borough of Hillingdon (part A)
London Borough of Hillingdon (part B)
North Warwickshire Borough Council
South Bucks District Council
South Northamptonshire Council
Stratford on Avon District Council
Warwickshire County Council
Warwick District Council
Wycombe District Council

Map

To view the map showing the route of HS2 please click here.