Cash fund to fight 'once in a lifetime' HS2 battle (From Bucks Free Press)
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Cash fund to fight 'once in a lifetime' HS2 battle
3:10pm Tuesday 21st December 2010 in News By James Nadal
Protesters campaigning against HS2 gather outside Chequers yesterday
A CASH fund is being set up for a 'once in a lifetime battle' to fight plans for the High Speed 2 rail line.
Money will be pooled by Buckinghamshire County Council and other authorities affected by the proposals.
It follows confirmation that the Government intends the line to run through the Chilterns in heart of the county.
Funds will be used to co-ordinate the efforts of the several protest groups and for expert advice and legal costs.
BCC Leader Cllr David Shakespeare, said: "We have a once-in-a-lifetime battle on our hands with the prospect of HS2 cutting through the heart of our county.”
Experts help is needed and combining resources will make the opposition “ stronger” and “more cohesive”, he said.
In the light of severe cuts from the Government, leaving BCC to find about £90m of savings, the decision to provide funds "has not been easy”, Cllr Shakespeare said.
“Our dilemma is, quite simply, can we afford not to defend our countryside at a time when it is in such peril?” he said.
Although Cllr Shakespeare acknowledged those not affected may question the cash injection, he said: “We cannot stand by and allow swathes of our countryside to be decimated by HS2.
“It poses a threat to our unique and fragile Chiltern countryside, and to the way of life in many communities.
“Once gone, our environment will be damaged forever, and I believe we have a duty to fight to protect Buckinghamshire for future generations."
Transport supremo Cllr Val Letheren, described it as “flawed” and an “ill-conceived scheme”.
“It is hard to understand why the Minister is determined to press ahead with a £32bn project, which offers no single identifiable benefit at all, when public services in this country are being cut to the bone,” she said.
Cllr Lesley Clarke, Leader of Wycombe District Council, and Adrian Busby, Leader of South Bucks District Council, have pledged their support.
Last week WDC voted to back Wycombe MP Steve Baker's opposition to the plans, though some councillors said the idea of High Speed rail should not be “dismissed out of hand”.
Comments(14)
Save Wycombe
says...
4:38pm Tue 21 Dec 10
Save Wycombe
says...
4:51pm Tue 21 Dec 10
towncryer
says...
5:35pm Tue 21 Dec 10
He then speaks of cutbacks then sacks staff and cuts services
Tory Bucks are totally in the wrong !!
wayneo
says...
5:50pm Tue 21 Dec 10
towncryer wrote:Taxpayers shouldn't be funding it directly no but I wholeheartedly agree that it should be co-ordinated and that the more heads together irrespective of whether it's in ones own backyard, the better.
How dare Shakespeare spend our money fighting this He then speaks of cutbacks then sacks staff and cuts services Tory Bucks are totally in the wrong !!
The stadium and subsequent hyposcrisy aside (we feel the same against the stadium plans as they do the HS2 plans), this is a worthwhile campaign to protect our County,those against it need to get behind it, those for it, should start their own protest group.
Ewartwhatyoubulldoze
says...
5:54pm Tue 21 Dec 10
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This smacks of a centrally fink-tanked attempt to win back Tory votes that have just been lost by the Government frittering away....taxpayers money.
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Totally crazy.
Windsorian
says...
5:57pm Tue 21 Dec 10
In particular the route for the GWR/M25/Heathrow hub using the short Route 1.5 through the Chilterns can now be seen for the 1st time.
I think it is a pity that Bucks Cllrs and other objectors cannot look objectively at the various options, before crying "Not in my back yard" !!!
Ewartwhatyoubulldoze
says...
6:40pm Tue 21 Dec 10
Windsorian wrote:I've looked objectively at all the options and the only one that makes any sense for a country massively in debt already is to make the best of what we have not build a luxury facility for a few people.
I see amoungst the documents just published on the DfT web-site is an analysis of the different route options for a Heathrow link.
In particular the route for the GWR/M25/Heathrow hub using the short Route 1.5 through the Chilterns can now be seen for the 1st time.
I think it is a pity that Bucks Cllrs and other objectors cannot look objectively at the various options, before crying "Not in my back yard" !!!
Windsorian
says...
6:46am Wed 22 Dec 10
e
It is not the role of local authorities to decide on national spending priorities; after fair and proper consultation this is properly the right of the elected government at Westminster.
In my opinion it would make sense for Bucks Cllrs to look at the full impact of both the Phase 1 HS2 route plus the proposed Heathrow link that will follow in Phase 2; particularly as both these projects may be running through Bucks.
Micklefield Matt
says...
7:40am Wed 22 Dec 10
In the grand scheme of things this project is unlikely to have any major negative impact on the services Bucks County Council provide so really it is none of their business.
Given the choice of chucking money at a (probably futile) fight against this project or paying to have more social care for vulnerable children and the elderly I know what I would choose.
washondo
says...
7:41am Wed 22 Dec 10
Save Wycombe
says...
9:27am Wed 22 Dec 10
washondo wrote:Oh it will be built - that's why BCC are wasting our money on this fighting fund. Far better to engage and negotiate improvements because the railway is coming (and no our chests won't cave in)
No BCC money should be used. The only winners here are the planners, civil servants and civil engineering companies (not to mention accountants). The HS link will never be built, but tens possibly hundreds of millions of pounds have already been spent/wasted.
miccles
says...
9:48am Wed 22 Dec 10
washondo
says...
3:30pm Thu 6 Jan 11
Save Wycombe wrote:It is contrary to Local Government Act 2000 to spend money obtained "by precept" (rates) to fight such a case.
washondo wrote: No BCC money should be used. The only winners here are the planners, civil servants and civil engineering companies (not to mention accountants). The HS link will never be built, but tens possibly hundreds of millions of pounds have already been spent/wasted.Oh it will be built - that's why BCC are wasting our money on this fighting fund. Far better to engage and negotiate improvements because the railway is coming (and no our chests won't cave in)
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The object of this quite sensible law is obviously to deter the current local authority from using rate payers' money for self promotion. Oh aren't those Conservatives wonderful; they're using OUR rates to object to THEIR policy.
No-brainer? Don't even think about it.
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Dare not be spent. Will not be built.
Voyeur says...
3:40pm Tue 21 Dec 10
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Certainly, if individual people or councillors want to contribute to a fighting fund, they should do so.
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For the council taxpayer, it will simply be money down the drain.