Anti-HS2 umbrella group Agahst have written to say “As you may know, the pro-lobby are saying they have 400 businesses supporting them. We need to respond and show that there are event more opposed to it! Therefore we like to get businesses to sign a list indicating support to stop HS2. They might be smaller owner managed businesses. Or directors / senior managers.” You can add your name to this list using this sign-up form.

HVRA road reps have distributed this important update leaflet to encourage everyone to respond to the public consultation on the scheme by the 29th July deadline […]

Thirteen local authorities including Bucks County Council have joined together in a national campaign to actively challenge the HS2 scheme. They are known as “51m” because that represents how much HS2 will cost each and every Parliamentary Constituency £51million. The group want to emphasise the impact this proposed scheme will have on every taxpayer in the country for years to come. Their website at www.51m.co.uk is an excellent source of information about HS2 and what we can do about it. Remember that the Government’s HS2 consultation ends on 29th July – make sure you have your say.

A leaflet giving details of the Alternative Route 2.5 is available at the HS2 Ltd roadshow. This is the route that would cut through Hughenden Valley on a giant viaduct.

We are concerned that this is a ploy to get those living close to the Preferred Route 3 to suggest that the Alternative Route 2.5 which would cut through Hughenden Valley be adopted. If this were to happen there would be no further consultation and therefore no opportunity for Hughenden Valley and neighbouring residents to respond.

The Speen Area Action Group (SAAG) met in Speen Village Hall on 10th May to present the latest details on HS2. SAAG and the Federation of 60 Action Groups Against HS2 (AGAHST) are fighting High Speed Rail outright. HVRA is also a member of AGAHST and contributes to the fighting fund.

Please visit www.speenbucks.org.uk for all the very latest information about the Transport Select Committee which seeks submissions by 16th May 2011 and the Public Consultation which ends on 29th July 2011.

Bucks County Council has formed the 51M Group with 13 Local Authorities, with more coming on board, to give a national profile to the campaign because it will cost every parliamentary constituency in the land £51 million to deliver the scheme. HS2 is a waste of public funds (over £1,000 per household) as it is not value for money. This is based on a cost of £34 billion, but with increasing energy costs and price inflation these figures will rise substantially.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Please write to your MP, David Lidington with your views to swell his mailbag
• Also encourage six friends and family who live “off-line” to write to their MPs expressing opposition and encourage each of them to ask six more friends and family who also live “off-line” to write to their MPs.
• Attend the Road Shows. Please do not complete the Consultation document at the Road Show, but take it home and complete it after reading the Q & A section on the SAAG website. This also applies when completing the Consultation document on-line.
• Respond to the Consultation by 29th July 2011.

As mentioned in the spring edition of Hughenden News here is the link to the Stop HS2 website where you will find information to assist you with the Consultation on HS2: http://stophs2.org/hs2-consultation

Local Roadshows presented by HS2 Ltd are as follows:

Great Missenden Mobile Exhibition
Link Road Car Park HP16 9AE
Thursday 12th May 8am – 8pm

Wendover Exhibition
Wendover Memorial Hall
Wharf Road HP22 6HF
Friday 13th May 8am – 8pm
Saturday 14th May 9am – 5pm

Amersham Exhibition
Amersham & Chiltern Rugby Football Club
Ash Grove, Weedon Road, HP6 5QU
Wednesday 18th May 8am – 8pm
Thursday 19th May 8am – 8pm

CLOSIING DATE FOR CONSULTATION 29TH JULY 2011

Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport, launched the HS2 consultation today with a speech in Birmingham. The consultation runs until Friday 29th July 2011 and full details are on the Department for Transport HS2 Consultation website. An overview of the process is also given in this HS2 Ltd Newsletter also published today.

Part of the process is a series of ‘roadshows’ along the length of the route, the venues and dates for which are on the consultation website. There is one in Great Missenden on Thursday 12th May, and two in Wendover on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May.

Protest umbrella group HS2 Action Alliance have issued a statement saying “HS2 Ltd/DfT have launched the HS2 consultation today. We are reviewing the released documents, but currently believe the set to be incomplete, and will advise shortly. We suggest that you do not respond immediately to the questions posed but await the outcome of our reviews.” The Stop HS2 website also has news and reaction to the launch of the consultation.

The Bucks Free Press and others are reporting that the Government is to launch the HS2 Consultation on Monday 28th February in Birmingham. Yet there is nothing about it on the Department for Transport website or the HS2 Ltd website. Anti-HS2 organisation StopHS2 thinks there is dirty business afoot.

HS2 Action Alliance have circulated this two-page paper rebutting six myths about HS2.

The HS2 Action Alliance team have been in touch to say:
“There are lots of HS2 public opinion polls going on at the moment. They all go towards raising public awareness of this project. Countryfile are running a poll on whether HS2 should be built at www.countryfile.com/polls. Please cast your vote. If a ‘vote’ button does not appear click the ‘High Speed link…’ title above the photo or the ‘Polls’ link middle, top. You don’t need to login or register to vote.”

Details of the Stop HS2 National Convention on Saturday 19th February are available on this poster and on the Stop HS2 website