Thiw was a very well attended meeting of the Stop HS2 by Colwich, Little and Great Haywood, Wolsey Bridge and Hixon.
It was chaired, and run by Jeremy Lefory, the MP for Stafford with some input from others including Stafford BC and Rolfe Pearce. The session lasted between 16:00 and 17:30 in whch Jeremy talked for about 3/4 hour and then answered queestions from the floor. An assistant took notes and Jeremy assured the audience that many of the concerns and questions would be taken up with appropriate ministers. He was also liasing with Bill Cash over amendments to the Hybrid Bill which will be progressing through Parliament in the next few months. This would be a mamoth 40,000 page bill.
Jeremy and Bill Cash were emphatically opposed to HS2. He estimateted that there were around 150 MPs against the bill but this left 500 for it.
Jeremy outlined there were three aspectsd to HS2.
Compensation: this was the Essential Hardship Scheme of compensation which would be in operation between when it was enacted and when the route was published. Thus the EHS would be active until around 2016 when the final route was published in the Hybrid Bill. Then the second (main) compensation scheme would come in to play. These compensation schemes are probably not adequate.
Mitigation: What can be undertaken to mitigate the construction route etc. ( see Kings Bromley report for comments on this)
The HS2 Project itself: Jeremy commented thast there had been a West Coast Main Line project to construct a new line between Great Haywood and Norton Bridge as the line via Stafford was the largest bottle neck on speed throught the route from London to the North. Jeremy stated that he would support such a scheme if HS2 was stopped. Thus Gt Hatwood etc would still get a rail project.
The HS2 project had the support of all three main political parties. The Hybrid Bill part 1 (London - Birmingham) is in progress, will be around 40,000 pages and will come to parliament in 2013/14.
Part 2 (ours) consultation will take place between now amd around 2014. 2016/17 will see a second Hybrid Bill. Construction will only take place when the Cross Rail project (£2bn pa) is finished and phase 1 is completed. Insufficient funds to run otherwise. Having to borrow the mony to pay for the construction of around £2bn pa.
There were a variety of querstions which Jeremy either answered or took away to ask ministers etc. These included:
The Essential Hardship Scheme has no mention of distance from the route - this needs looking into.
The payback level falls well below the DFT's own requirements. It was originally forcast at 4:1, it currently is estimated at 1.9:1 and falling. No account in this estimate was taken for people working on the train which would reduce the figure even further.
Why should we individually have to cover the loss (15% or more) in value of our property for no benefit? The loss calculations are based upon a 1973 act which is not fit for purpose. This act needs to be repealled. France offers 120% of pre market value.
Staff CC has debated HS2 and has turned it down. They will help MPs to oppose it.
We need to know the ticket price of HS2 (Comment - my research shows that Stafford will get one HS train per hour. There is NO indication as to the slower 'Virgin' type trains running or even the even slower 'London Midland' types. You may well have to pay the premium price or not at all - is this an improvement?)
Eurostar - the government had to write off a large part of that construction costs to get it finished.
There was a final question regarding the ratable value of properties in the blighted area. Can we ask for a rate reduction? (comment - a mass action would certainly make them think)
This was a very informative and open meeting run by Stafford's local MP.
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