Decision makers behind the proposed HS2 line through Lichfield have revealed that opposition to HS2 in the city is among the fiercest along the entire route.
As the battle to prevent the coalition government from ploughing ahead with the route proposed by its Labour predecessors intensifies, Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant has joined his Tamworth colleague Chris Pincher in more meetings over the line.
The duo met the Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond and HS2’s chief engineer Andrew McNaughton to look at ways to prevent the line from scything across Lichfield and the surrounding countryside.
And Mr Fabricant believes the decision-makers are in no doubt about the strength of feeling in the region. He said:
“We again re-emphasised that the original Adonis route is unacceptable. We also made it absolutely clear that an alternative route which would take the line close to Hopwas and to the very outskirts of Whittington was equally unacceptable.
“We told the Secretary of State that this route had been ‘disowned’ by Hints Parish Council. Even HS2 say that it is a non-starter as it takes trains far too close to homes in Whittington.
“HS2 reported that they had received many objections to both routes and indeed the email, petition, and letter writing campaign, from Lichfield and Tamworth constituents has exceeded any response from any other part of the route so far.”
With a decision over the route likely to be reached before Christmas, followed by a possible five months of amendments, the pressure is mounting on those behind HS2 to review their plans.
And Tamworth MP Chris Pincher believes it is time to “think again” on the HS2 line. He explained:
“Any route that skirts Mile Oak and Hopwas is just not acceptable and HS2 must realise that. The original Adonis plan also does damage from Drayton Bassett and Hints all the way to Boley Park and beyond in the Lichfield constituency. So HS2 must be made to think again.”
