List of opposition to High Speed 2

The planned high-speed railway in the UK known as High Speed 2 has encountered significant opposition from various organisations and individuals.

"Stop HS2" signs are frequently erected by opposition groups in areas close to the planned HS2 route

Political parties
  • The Green Party voted to oppose the HS2 plans at its Spring 2011 conference on environmental and economic grounds.[1] Alan Francis, the party transport spokesperson, had previously outlined its support for high-speed rail in principle in terms of benefits to capacity, reduced journey times and reduced carbon emissions, but recommended a line restricted to 300 to 320 kilometres per hour (190 to 200 mph) which would enable it to use existing transport corridors to a greater extent and increase efficiency.[2]
  • The UK Independence Party (UKIP) is opposed nationally and locally to the proposed HS2 plans.[3][4] UKIP has been campaigning against HS2 as it is also part of the EU's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Policy. It had previously proposed a much larger and more expensive three-line high-speed network running from London to Newcastle (and on to Scotland), London to Bristol (and on to Wales) and London to Birmingham along with upgrading several other sections of the WCML and Scottish rail to high speed in its 2010 manifesto.[5]
  • The Brexit Party said in 2019 it would save £200 billion by shelving the HS2 project.[6]

Campaign groups
  • Stop HS2 organises nationally and represents local action groups along the route, under the slogan "No business case. No environmental case. No money to pay for it.".[7][8] Chair Penny Gaines commented in 2020 that "The case for HS2 has always been poor, and is simply getting worse".[9]
  • Extinction Rebellion, a global protest movement. Alongside Stop HS2, Extinction Rebellion organised a walk of 125 miles along the proposed railway line in June 2020.[10]
  • The HS2 Action Alliance was an umbrella group for opposition groups.[11][12] These included ad hoc entities, residents' associations, and parish councils.[13] The Alliance's primary aim was to prevent HS2 from happening; secondary aims included evaluating and minimising the impacts of HS2 on individuals, communities and the environment, and communication of facts about HS2, and its compensation scheme.[11] The HS2 Action Alliance criticised the Department of Transport's demand forecasts as being too high, as well as having other shortcomings in the assessment methodology.[14][15]
  • Action Groups Against High Speed Two (AGHAST) claimed in 2011 that the project was not viable economically.[16]
  • The Right Lines Charter, an umbrella group established in 2011 for several environmental and other organisations that support the principle of a high-speed rail network but believe that the current HS2 scheme is unsound. Members include the Campaign for Better Transport,[17] the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth,[18] Greenpeace, and Railfuture.[19]
  • Railfuture, a railway campaigning organisation, supports high-speed rail in principle but stated in its submission to the Transport Select Committee Inquiry that it sees no benefit in trains running at up to 400 kilometres per hour (250 mph) and therefore is not in favour of the current proposal and route, and suggests that alternatives be investigated.[20]

Environmental groups
Perivale Wood in Ealing
  • The Woodland Trust opposes the current route of the proposed High Speed 2 rail link because of its impact on ancient woodland. It reports that 108 ancient woods are threatened with loss or damage from the project.[21]
  • The Wildlife Trusts, which have criticised the proposals, stating that the former Government's policy on High Speed Rail (March 2010) underestimated the effect on wildlife habitats (with 4 SSSIs and over 50 of other types of nature site affected), as well as noting that the proposals had not comprehensively shown any significant effect on transport carbon emissions and questioning the economic benefits of a line. The trusts called for additional research to be done on the effects of a high-speed line.[22]
  • The Campaign to Protect Rural England believes that lower speeds would increase journey times only slightly, while allowing the line to run along existing motorway and railway corridors, reducing intrusion.[24]

Other groups
  • The National Trust. Fiona Reynolds, at the time Director-General, stated in 2010: "there are lots of questions about the economics and above all the impact". [25]
  • The New Economics Foundation, a think-tank promoting environmentalism, localism and anti-capitalism. It published a formal response to the public consultation in August 2011[26] which concluded that the case for a high-speed rail link was incomplete and that the benefits of the scheme had been "over-emphasised" by its promoters.[27]
  • The Independent newspaper considers the costs excessive and the benefits uncertain.[30] An investigation published in February 2013 claimed that 350 wildlife sites would be destroyed by the new HS2 line[31] and an accompanying editorial argued that environmentalists should oppose the project.[32] A separate investigation published in March 2013 suggested that the project was unlikely to keep within its £33 billion budget.[33]

Individuals
  • Before becoming Prime Minister in 2019, Boris Johnson repeatedly criticised the project, and stated that the costs would spiral over £70 billion.[35][36] His father Stanley Johnson was required to sell his home in Primrose Hill under the HS2 "need to sell scheme" as it was 10 metres (33 feet) from the new track.[37] As of 2020 Johnson backs the plan.[38]
  • Tony Berkeley, deputy chair of the Oakervee Review gave a dissenting opinion which stated the review was "dishonest" and "misleading". [39]
  • Chris Packham asked for a judicial review of the Oakervee Review in 2020. When this was refused, he appealed the decision.[40]
  • Peter Mandelson, a supporter of HS2 when in office, admitted in July 2013 that the cost estimates were "almost entirely speculative" and said the Labour Government had only proposed it to "paint an upbeat view of the future" during the financial crash.[43]
  • Alistair Darling, former Labour chancellor and transport secretary, withdrew support for the project, stating to go ahead would be "foolish".[44]
  • Liam Fox, MP for North Somerset a candidate for the Conservative Party leadership in July 2016, stated he would "scrap HS2" if he became prime minister.[45]

Local government
  • The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce opined that HS2 offered no benefit to its area.[63]

See also

References
  1. "Greens oppose HS2: "it wouldn't do what it says on the tin"". Green Party. 26 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. "Updated Green Party proposals on HS2 route". Green Party. 22 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  3. "UKIP set to make HS2 an issue in local elections | Railnews | Today's news for Tomorrow's railway". Rail News. 7 April 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  4. "UKIP Say No To HS2". UK Independence Party. August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  5. Category: 2010 Policy documents. "Transport 2010". UK Independence Party. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  6. Reporters, Telegraph (9 December 2019). "Brexit Party manifesto 2019: key policies, at a glance". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  7. "StopHS2". Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-31. We oppose the HS2 High Speed Rail link, because the business case is based on unrealistic assumptions, the environmental impact has not been assessed, it is not green, the strategic benefits are questionable, and the money could be better spent on other things.
  8. Millward, David (12 January 2012). "Tory MPs face high speed rail backlash". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2018. Another campaigner, Penny Gaines, chairman of stop HS2. accused Mrs Gillan of "bottling out" by appearing to welcome the concessions announced by Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary.
  9. "Storm breaks after Berkeley publishes his HS2 review". Rail News. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. Taylor, Diane (20 June 2020). "Anti-HS2 protesters begin 125-mile walk along proposed route". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  11. "About us". Amersham: HS2 Action Alliance. 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  12. Woodman, Peter (19 December 2010). "High-speed rail route to be announced". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  13. "HS2 action groups (and other HS2 active organisations)". HS2 Action Alliance. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  14. "Transport and the economy, Memorandum from Wharf Weston (TE 30)". UK Parliament. November 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  15. "Memorandum from Bluespace Thinking Ltd (TE 07)" (PDF). UK Parliament. September 2010. 7. Problems with the current forecasting and analysis methodology. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  16. Walker, Jonathan (6 May 2011). "High speed rail link protesters challenge noise level claims". Business Live. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  17. "Briefing on White Paper on High Speed Rail, White Paper Response". Campaign for Better Transport. n.d. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011.
  18. "High Speed Rail: Friends of the Earth's views" (PDF). Friends of the Earth. October 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  19. "About the Charter". Right Lines Charter. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012.
  20. Written evidence from Railfuture to the Transport Select Committee. Archived 2018-03-31 at the Wayback Machine UK Parliament. May 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  21. "High Speed 2". August 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-11-28. Retrieved 2018-11-28.
  22. "The Wildlife Trust's position statement on High Speed Rail 2 (HS2)" (PDF). Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2011.
  23. Hall, Dewey W. (2016). Romantic Naturalists, Early Environmentalists: An Ecocritical Study, 1789-1912. Routledge. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-317-06151-9. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  24. "Is High Speed 2 on the Wrong Track?" (Press release). Campaign to Protect Rural England. 4 November 2010. Archived from the original on 11 November 2010.
  25. Howie, Michael (7 November 2010). "National Trust anger over High Speed 2 railway". The Sunday Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  26. "Response to the HS2 Consultation". New Economics Foundation. New Economics Foundation. 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  27. "Response to the HS2 Consultation" (PDF). New Economics Foundation. New Economics Foundation. 3 August 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  28. Cole, Rob (4 Feb 2011). "HS2 Rail Link Between London And Birmingham A 'White Elephant' Says Taxpayers Alliance | UK News". Sky News. Sky News. Archived from the original on 7 Feb 2011.
  29. Stokes, Chris (4 February 2011). "Research Note 82: High Speed Rail" (PDF). Taxpayers' Alliance. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2011.
  30. "Editorial: High-speed rail is not the best way to spend £32bn". The Independent. London. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  31. Randall, David; Owen, Jonathan (3 February 2013). "IoS investigation: HS2 – the hidden cost to Britain's wildlife". The Independent on Sunday. London. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  32. "Editorial: Light green is not green enough". The Independent on Sunday. London. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  33. Leftly, Mark; Merrick, Jane (10 March 2013). "Revealed: HS2's £33bn budget already derailed before a track is laid". The Independent on Sunday. London. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  34. Walker, Jonathan (3 December 2010). "Business call for high speed rail cash to be spent on roads". Birmingham Post. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012.
  35. Hope, Christopher (7 July 2013). "HS2 'will cost over £70billion', says Boris Johnson". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  36. Pickard, Jim (27 March 2014). "London mayor criticises cost of HS2". ft.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  37. Clementine, Katherine (7 March 2016). "Boris Johnson's dad compensated for HS2 home sale while Ruislip residents miss out". Get West London. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  38. Swinford, Steven; Paton, Graeme (30 January 2020). "Boris Johnson faces Tory rebellion over HS2". Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  39. Devereux, Nigel (2 November 2019). "Leaked draft confirms Oakervee support for full HS2 route". The Railway Hub. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  40. Ibrahim, Magda (28 June 2020). "Springwatch presenter Chris Packham wins right to hearing over HS2". The Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  41. Gillies, Kiera. "'HS2 is billions over budget' - MP Cheryl Gillan continues to condemn the controversial project". Bucks Free Press. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  42. Millward, David (12 January 2012). "Tory MPs face high speed rail backlash". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  43. Batty, David (2 July 2013). "Lord Mandelson warns HS2 will be an 'expensive mistake'". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  44. "HS2 Project Attacked By Alistair Darling". Sky News. 24 August 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  45. Joseph Watts (4 July 2016). "Liam Fox will 'scrap HS2' if he becomes PM and Conservative leader | Politics | News | London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  46. "Labour 'should not support' HS2". BBC News. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  47. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2018-05-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  48. Wolmar, Christian (16 April 2014). "What's the point of HS2?". London Review of Books. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  49. 51m membership Archived 2018-07-19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 3 June 2011
  50. Poole, Lawrence (8 December 2010). "We don't want it here, we don't want high speed rail anywhere". Buckinghamshire Examiner. Uxbridge. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011.
  51. "Council to 'robustly resist' high speed rail". Uxbridge Gazette. 6 December 2010. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  52. "County council opposes HS2" (Press release). Warwickshire County Council. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011.
  53. "Leicestershire is in – another local authority confirms it's challenging HS2" 51m website Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  54. Three Rivers DC and Oxfordshire CC join 51m. Retrieved 29 August 2011 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  55. Bates, Matthew (15 December 2010). "City council unites in opposition to HS2". Coventry Observer. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  56. "Impact of HS2 – Camden Council". Camden.gov.uk. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  57. "Northamptonshire Arc". Northamptonshire County Council. High Speed Two (HS2). Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. the County Council objects strongly to the current published routes and insists that HS2 should only go ahead if a route can be found through consultation which minimises the potential adverse effect on local amenity, landscape and the environment
  58. "High Speed 2:Staffordshire County Council set to oppose plans" (PDF) (Press release). Staffordshire County Council. 18 November 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2012.
  59. Johnson, Robin (18 July 2013). "HS2 Derby route to "be considered"". Derby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  60. Jones, Severn, Chris, Joey (10 July 2013). "County council veto for HS2 alternative". Derby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  61. Henesey, Bryan (9 July 2013). "Toton 'still best choice' for high-speed rail line". Nottingham Post. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  62. "Parkway backed for HS2 station". Nottingham Post. 3 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  63. "HS2 route will only benefit Birmingham, says Coventry business boss". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011.
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