Chiltern District Councillor attacks High Speed 2 plan (From Bucks Free Press)

Chiltern District Councillor attacks High Speed 2 plan

6:10pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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A TRANSPORT boss today condemned a planned high speed rail link as “the cheapskate option” - despite it costing a planned £30billion to build.

Chiltern District Council's cabinet member for transport Nick Rose said the proposed route through the heart of the Chiltern hills had been “deliberately arranged” as a “cost-cutting measure”.

He also said construction work would “completely trash” the Buckinghamshire countryside.

Cllr Rose said at today's cabinet meeting he had spoken to colleagues from Kent, where a previous high speed rail link was built to link London and the Channel Tunnel.

He said: “Experience from Kent indicates where access to small villages is required and the width of the road is only a single track line, the construction will completely trash those roads and leave them in an unfit state for several years to come.

“People living within a relatively large distance of the sites, say three to four miles, will have their way of life in their village wrecked for probably 15 years or so before it recovers to what it is at the moment.

“The seriousness of this plan cannot be overstated. Why it should be chosen to go through the section of prime AONB land is inexplicable.”

Cllr Rose and Buckinghamshire County Council's transport portfolio holder Val Letheren met with Secretary of State for Transport Lord Adonis last week.

But Cllr Rose said today the meeting “was not terribly productive” - adding the planned route announced last week was a “substantial shock”.

He said: “The only thing that transpired was they were concerned about the environmental impact. This is, frankly, inconsistent with the route they have chosen.

“It climbs steeply up a hill towards South Heath. The reason why is unclear. I can see no appreciable logic, unless it's a cost-cutting measure – which I suspect it is.

“Why this particular route comes straight through one of the most beautiful parts on the AONB is inexplicable. The choice of route appears perverse and difficult to justify.

“This is what I would describe as 'the cheapskate solution'. To attempt the cheapskate route is fairly contemptible.”

Cllr Rose said Government figures estimated the cost of the project to be £30billion – but he said it was likely to be “double that at least, if not more”.

He added: “In my view we are being asked to pay a grossly unacceptable price for this.”

Cllr Mimi Harker said residents should work together to fight the plans.

She said: “This isn't a time for Nimbys. People living further away should fight this campaign and support the people truly affected.

“We are going to end up with something we do not want and it will decimate the area.”

Cllr Harker added: “To do something like this is another example of the lack of responsible attitude this Government has.”