4:29pm Friday 12th March 2010
By Oliver Evans
RESIDENTS in a rural hamlet today slammed Government plans to run a 250mph train line past their homes.
Villagers in South Heath, north of Great Missenden, said the line from London to the north via Birmingham would damage their quality of life.
It would consist of a tunnel beginning at the M25 near Chalfont St Peter and continuing underground through the northern part of Chalfont St Giles and old Amersham.
It would then go overground between Great Missenden and South Heath, following the line of the A413, about 2.5 miles from Holmer Green and Prestwood.
A new bridge would be built over Frith Hill (see map, bottom of story).
The route would then continue to Birmingham and fork off to Manchester in one direction and the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds on the other, cutting journey times to 75 minutes.
The Government said the scheme – which would not stop in Bucks – would be a massive boost to the economy and get people off planes. Work could start in 2019 and open in 2026.
County MPs yesterday slammed the move in the Commons (see link, bottom of story).
Ballinger Road resident John Barber, 72 said: “I think it is horrendous, it is going to go right through the Chilterns. It is absolutely criminal.”
Wife Hazel, 69, said: “It must be the most expensive route and would destroy so much of the Chilterns.
“It is going to be a disaster. The actual work on the railway track is going to mean hundreds of lorries.”
Marriotts Avenue resident Mike O’Farrell said: “I think it will be a great shame for it to happen in the way it has been described. It is a quiet and rural area.
“We would feel very uncomfortable about the building process.”
The health company chief executive said he appreciated the line ‘has to go somewhere’ and would seek out more information on the plan and consultation process.
Sam Bowden, 20, who would live a short distance from the proposed track in Frith Hill, said: “I don’t think it is very good at all.
“It would affect quite a few things. I can’t see why they can’t use another line like the one that goes through Missenden.”
The enjoyment of the fields by children and horses would be under threat, he said.
Paul Tomlins, manager of Woodley and Hart kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms shop, in the area where the line would run directly underneath, also hit out.
He said: “The potential disruption to our business caused by building works is a prime concern.”
Conservation groups and councillors yesterday hit out at the news, which caused a storm of debate on our website (see link, bottom of story).
Detailed maps (pdfs, right click to save):
For the first Chalfonts map click here.
For the second Chalfonts map click here.
For the Amersham map click here.
For the Great Missenden area map click here.
Click here for a map of the proposed route.
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