Stop HS2 protesters in Lichfield

Changes to the route of HS2 in Lichfield are set to add £133million to the cost of the project.

The Government has published new details of the alterations to phase one of the controversial high speed rail scheme.

Local lobbying has seen the route in Lichfield changed so the line will now pass under the A38 rather than over it.

The move is one of a range of alterations which campaigners say will push the cost of HS2 to £50.7billion.

“With the swish of a pen, £600million has been added to the bill for HS2,” said Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin.

“With it now turning out that The Treasury are looking at a more realistic estimate for how much HS2 will cost, opposed to what it would have cost if it had all been built four years ago, the numbers for this white elephant are surely going to get more eye-watering and more unaffordable.”

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.