HSR Proposal 
 

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           Route now proposed goes south of Old Amersham and then in tunnel south of Hyde Heath
  New Proposed Route of HSR2 - Jan 2012  
  Previously published proposed route Dec 2010  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Public meeting in Ballinger - Feb 5th 2012 - note from Stephen Burke
 

The meeting on Sunday was very well attended especially in light of the snow. All the speakers made excellent presentations outlining the current situation in their specialists areas and then outlined proposed strategies going forward.

What has come to light is most of the "concessions" on the route are in fact more to do with engineering issues rather than the planners making the changes in the light of blighting residents homes.

What was made clear at the meeting that the actual line is one issue but a second key point is the contractors who build the line and the maintenance depots needed to maintain the track. On HS1 contractors applied and were granted planning permission for sites that that were outside the original plan. Kent County Council could not refuse permission, nor will Bucks CC be able to refuse permission, if HS2 goes ahead.

HS2 Action Alliance is raising £125,000 to bring a legal challenge for a judicial review. This money must be raised within six weeks.

The goal is £250 per household. Based on the understanding that if the legal challenge did not go ahead then donations would be returned on a pro-rata basis. HS2 Action Alliance will be totally transparent on how the money will be spent.

Money is the key at this stage and any donations can be sent to

The Treasurer, HS2 Action Alliance Ltd, Wisteria Cottage, Bowood Lane, Wendover, HP22 6PY

Made payable to HS2 AA legal Fund

 

There are a number of legal aspects of HS2 that can be challenged. The strategy is for each involved party to take legal action on a different area so the Government is confronted by a united front challenging it on a broad range of issues. Hence the need for the Alliance to raise funds.

People can get more information on the campaign by visiting the web site www.hs2actionalliance.org

There is a great opportunity to derail this scheme( excuse the pun) we as a village need to get behind it. Our MP has accepted that HS2 will happen and is just seeking to stay in her job until she retires at the end of this Parliament. The Government has gone back on all of it promises on compensation. Many deep cutting our now shallow so the noise level and visual impairment will increase. With our MP on board the Transport Department is now riding roughshod over the Chilterns.

 

Stephen Burke

 
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HS2 - an open letter from Rod Stevens 
I attended the public meeting in Great Missenden on Tuesday to coincide with the official announcement of HS2 The meeting was in the
 afternoon, which I realise was not helpful for many but Hyde Heath did not appear to be well represented and I wonder what happened 
to all those who packed the village hall two years ago.
 
I hear people say 'It's a done deal.' Of course the government would like you to think it is but it is not. The additional runway at Heathrow
seemed like a done deal but local opposition brought about a change.
 
The campaign to Stop HS2 is only just beginning and there is still a long way to go. The sparring is over - now it's for real.
 
So come on Hyde Heathens. Let us be be a part of the on-going campaign to stop this wicked act of folly and destruction of our 
heritage.
 
Rod Stevens
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Open  letter to Justine Greening - Secretary of State for Transport

Dear Secretary of State

You said you would look at HS2 rationally. And yet you ignore your own department’s evidence that our alternative generates over £6 return  for every £1 invested compared with under£2 return on HS2. Furthermore, half the stated benefits from HS2 are from the erroneous assumption that time is unproductive on trains, which your predecessor recognised was not the case.

Network rail also agree that our alternative meets HS2 Ltd demand forecasts and had to produce a new forecast to make the case.

Not so long ago you said with reference to Heathrow Runway 3:

“We have had a consultation, to which residents have responded overwhelmingly by saying that they do not want the plan to go ahead. Despite all those points, Ministers still seek to override people’s will. That is deeply worrying.”

Yet now as a minister you have completely ignored and buried the consultation response on HS2, which was massively against HS2 on every question.

In particular, on compensation, your predecessor promised that householders affected by a national strategic project would be fairly compensated. The consultation offered three options and response was overwhelmingly in favour of the property purchase bond. Yet you
have offered the worst possible scheme, an extended hardship scheme that will leave thousands trapped in their homes until 2027.

You and your Government have engaged in the very worst of the “weasel words”, fiddling the figures and reneging on promises that have brought politicians into such contempt. This must be deeply disappointing for those MPs who are men and women of integrity and who seek
to make rational decisions for the good of the country.

As country after country in Europe and Asia discover the folly of inappropriate, politically driven High Speed Rail projects, we will continue
to work hard to inform the public, the media and your colleagues of this damaging and wasteful decision.

Yours sincerely

Jerry Marshall        Chairman, AGAHST     (Action Groups Against High Speed Two)

 
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December 20th 2010 - revised vs original plans for Hyde Heath Area
- same line but some cuttings covered to become tunnels
 
 
New plan Dec 20th 2010
 
 
Original plan March 11th 2010

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Respond to Treasury "Spending Cuts Challenge" - suggest Scrapping HS2

At the budget, Chancellor George Osbourne said that he was going to ask
> the public for ideas on how we can save the country money. You may have
> many ideas on this subject, but we hope you can all respond and include
> the seemingly obvious suggestion not to go ahead with HS2. The
> consultation was originally open just to public sector workers, but is
> now open to the public at large. At this time we do not know when
> comments will close.
>
> To add your suggestons & comments (max 500 words) go to:
> http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/

NB - This consultation is only open until August 2010 - act quickly !

 
   

 

Petition to Downing St - Government response dated July 13th 2010:

Government response

The new Government has a clear commitment to establish a national high speed rail network to help fulfil our ambitions for economic growth and a low carbon economy.  The vision is for a truly national high speed rail network which will include links to Heathrow and potentially other airports to provide an alternative to short-haul aviation.  We will also actively study the options for a link between the new high speed line and the existing High Speed One line - which links London to the Channel Tunnel.   

The previous Government set up HS2 Ltd in January 2009 to look at the feasibility of, and business case for, a high speed rail line between London and the West Midlands.  HS2 Ltd’s report, published in March 2010, makes recommendations on routes and station options for high speed rail, and includes an assessment of costs, benefits and sustainability impacts. 

HS2 Ltd’s recommended route follows the A413/Chiltern Line transport corridor through part of the Chilterns and makes considerable use of tunnels, cuttings and existing transport corridors to minimise the environmental impacts in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Reducing and mitigating the local environmental impact of high speed rail will always be a very high priority for the new Government in taking this project forward.  And no final decision regarding the route of the line will be taken until a detailed and inclusive public consultation has taken place.
   

The facts so far : (from published information)

1. No firm decisions yet made
2. Public consultations re need for HSR and routes to
    start autumn 2010
3. Govt will decide whether to proceed or not in 2011
4. A separate consultation re setting up an Exceptional
    Hardship Scheme (EHS) for affected householders
    closed on June 17th.
 

5. Options on routes are :

    a)  HS2 through the Chilterns as per maps above left
    b)  Alternative route via Gerrards Cross & 
         Beaconsfield  - see map & details here
    c)  Network Rail preferred option - follow existing West
         coast main line
6. Full details from HS2 Ltd here

Read Lord Adonis remit to HS2 dated March 17th here
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Have your say re the proposed HS2 route through The Chilterns

1. You can write to the Secretary of State for Transport

     The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Transport
     Department for Transport
     Great Minster House
     76 Marsham St
     London SW1P 4DR

    
2. You can write to local MP's and Councillors using this service :

    http://www.writetothem.com/

3. On Facebook you can join the "Save the Chilterns !  Group

    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=367587726768&ref=ts

4. Sign the Bucks Free Press Petition

    http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/highspeed2/

5. National "Stop HS2 Campaign" - website http://stophs2.org/

 

Other groups and contacts will be added as they emerge.

 

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   Village Society Newsletter 1 - following meeting Wed March 31st

NO TO PROPOSED HIGH SPEED 2 RAIL LINK  Hyde Heath NEWSLETTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to this first Newsletter which presents the short term way forward against the monstrous Government proposal to go right through our beautiful area.  The minutes and notes from this Wednesday’s meeting can be seen on the Hyde Heath website. There will be further updates of this Newsletter when more information becomes available or when we need to take more action.

ACTIONS FROM 31 MARCH HYDE HEATH PUBLIC MEETING

1.    The Committee are making contacts to determine which lead body is to be aligned with for the fight against HS2 including : Bucks CC, Chiltern District Council, Chiltern Society Chiltern Conservation Board , Amersham Society.

2.    Thank you Volunteers we will be in touch with you shortly for your help, and your further feedback on Good Ideas to win this battle.

3.    All Villagers

Please register your individual protests against this proposal right now by internet or letter to the following  :

 

Lord Andrew Adonis

Department of Transport

Great Minster House

76 Marsham Street

London SW1P 4DR

andrew.adonis@dft.gsi.gov.uk

         

 

Theresa Villiers MP, Shadow Secretary of State – Conservatives       
        House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

          Theresa@theresavilliers.co.uk

 

Norman Baker MP, Shadow Secretary of State –Liberal Democrats

House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

normanbaker@cix.co.uk

 

Cheryl Gillan MP for Chesham and Amersham

House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

www.cherylgillan.org.uk

Tricia Birchley  Bucks County Councillor

Nick Rose  Chiltern District Councillor

 

We are very positive that with the use of the correct professional advice and approach this proposal will be defeated.

Roy North

Chairman 

Hyde Heath Village Society

  
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Message from Cheryl Gillan MP for Chesham & Amersham - March 24th 2010

"Thank you for your correspondence/e-mail about the Government’s proposals for their new high speed rail line (HS2). I apologise for this initial standard response but I am receiving a large number of e-mails and letters and I want to acknowledge them as rapidly as possible. 

Please be assured that I am totally opposed to this route and will be working to ensure that the whole of the Chesham and Amersham constituency is preserved. 

I am in the process of a series of meetings establishing the environmental impact, the engineering details, the commercial and financial implications and, to this end, I have already had a long meeting with Lord Adonis – the Secretary of State who has chosen this route.  I am updating my website regularly so that you can see the progress that I am making in relation to this campaign.  Details can be found at www.cherylgillan.co.uk

If you have an email address which I can use to ensure that you are kept regularly updated please can you send it together with your full address to gillanhs2chilterns@cheshamandamershamconservatives.co.uk 

If you do not have an email address, I will ensure that we keep in touch with you by letter and will send correspondence to the address you send me. 

If you are on the internet you can read the details of the scheme already published by the Government on http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/ 

Thank you again for contacting me and for bringing your thoughts and concerns to my attention. I believe that the case is not made for this route and that we can prevent this railway being driven through the heart of Chesham and Amersham."

 

Cheryl Gillan MP

 
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