Buckinghamshire councillors visit High Speed 1 in Kent (From Bucks Free Press)

Buckinghamshire councillors visit High Speed 1 in Kent

4:03pm Tuesday 3rd August 2010 in

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OPPOSITION to controversial plans for a high speed rail route grew this week after councillors visiting an existing line and said it was "scary".

Members of Chiltern District, Aylesbury Vale District and Bucks County Councils were amongst those to visit Kent on Friday to look at the impact another high speed rail project has had on the countryside there.

And they said the visit had reinforced their views on the plans – with one councillor saying she was ”determined" to take action.

If given the go-ahead, a new high speed railway line between London and Birmingham would cut through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and tunnel underneath Amersham and the Chalfonts. News of the project, called High Speed 2, has sparked outrage amongst residents.

Chiltern District Council cabinet member Mimi Harker said of Friday's trip to Kent: “It's opened my eyes to the reality of the situation.

“When you look at plans on paper it's very difficult to conjure up the image of how it's going to look.

“It's a bit scary to think of something of this magnitude literally carving its way through the Chiltern area. It's made me more determined to get involved and do something about it.”

Cllr Harker added: “Come and have a look at this and you will see exactly why we shouldn't have HS2.”

The county council's portfolio holder for transport, Cllr Val Letheren, said: “I still firmly believe it's not the right place, to build it in Buckinghamshire. It should be built along the West Coast mainline.”

Members of the delegation met with Kent County Council's former planning officer Chris Waite, who guided them along the route and explained what campaigners in Buckinghamshire could do fight the proposals.