WORRIED councillors have joined MP Helen Jones in an outspoken attack on the Government for failing to take seriously the problems the HS2 rail project will cause in the Warrington area.
Cllr Bill Brinksman, who represents Rixton on the borough council and Cllr Matt Smith, a member of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, have both hit out at ministers in the Department of Transport.
The Warrington North MP has weighed in with two Parliamentary questions on the issue.
In the first, she asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he would direct HS2 Ltd to commission research on the impact on small businesses in the Culcheth and Rixton areas of road closures and other disruption resulting from building the high speed rail line on the initial preferred route.
Transport Minister Robert Goodwill replied by confirming that the Government is currently consulting on the proposed route – but would give no commitment that the research the MP was asking for would be carried out.
Ms Jones said: “It is clear that the Government have no answers when they are questioned on the economic effects of their plans on Warrington. People in Culcheth and Rixton are very worried about the effect of the
proposed route on their villages. One of the many problems the Government refuses to address is the impact on local businesses. There is no use them talking about possible benefits elsewhere if local businesses are put at risk.”
Cllr Smith said: “Businesses in Culcheth were seriously affected during the closure of Wilton Lane last year. That was just
one of the main routes into the village. Under the initial proposed HS2 route, all three arterial roads through Culcheth would be shut for construction work. It is vital that HS2 Ltd think again and take factors like this into account. We are committed to supporting small, local firms, but the Government is yet to demonstrate that they are following the same lead.”
Cllr Brinksman said: “The Government cannot turn a blind eye to the disruption that their plans will cause to our community.
“The effect on our shops and small businesses are legitimate questions but, yet again, Transport Ministers
have no answers and won’t recognise that the current plans have no long-term benefits for Warrington.”
WORRIED councillors have joined MP Helen Jones in an outspoken attack on
the Government for failing to take seriously the problems the HS2 rail
project will cause in the Warrington area.
Councillors hit out over HS2
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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A TRANSPORT INTERNET
HS2 does not address the fundamental engineering problem dictating network capacity: Victorian era train brakes are lousy compared with rubber on tarmac car brakes.
Instead of building old technology HS2 we should spend the money on upgrading our existing lines so that they are compatible with modern frictionless brakes.
This would double the capacity of the whole UK network by reducing the emergency stopping distance between trains.
We would also be creating a world beating transport internet that exploited the increased capacity to carry battery powered vehicles long distances on freight trains.
For details visit http://www.cheshire-innovation.com/Transport%20internet.htm
“Outraged” politicians need to stop paying-lip service and oppose HS2. Stopping HS2 is the only way to ensure that 500 jobs at Taylor Business Park are not lost. HS2 threatens people’s homes and the local environment, yet our Councillors and MP are willing to stand by and ask “tough questions”. Stop playing politics and support the people you’re meant to represent!
The HS2 spokesperson and the government were/are unable to answer the questions put by Helen Jones MP and our local politicians because they plainly don’t know what impacts this financial folly will have. And frankly they are not interested in the local impact scenarios nor have they any interest in exploring them,because were they to do so it would further expose the futility of a scheme that has never had meaningful business case. Cameron’s action in blaming the Labour party and so making political capital if the scheme failed to pass muster in the recent Commons vote and Miliband’s refusal to condemn the scheme outright demonstrates the financial ineptitude of most of politicians.