Michael Fabricant
Michael Fabricant

Lichfield’s MP has added his voice to the consultation on high speed rail – and urged fellow city residents to follow suit.

The Department for Transport is seeking the views of the public on the issue of HS2 until the end of the month.

Michael Fabricant
Michael Fabricant

And with Lichfield and the surrounding villages set to feel the disruption should the scheme get the green light, city MP Michael Fabricant admitted he was “sceptical” about high speed rail.

He said:

“While I recognise that there is near capacity congestion on north-south rail lines, HS2 is not the only answer to high speed travel and rail gridlock.  The more I read on the subject, the more sceptical I become that HS2 – originally proposed by the Labour Government – is the solution the Coalition Government should be pursuing.

“It is important that the Government investigate other ways of achieving their manifesto commitment to deliver high speed rail, ways which may be much cheaper, can be completed more quickly, and which will have a less damaging impact on the environment nationally and in my own part of Staffordshire.

“I welcome the independent inquiry by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee into this matter.  They will be weighing up all the economic and technical arguments with the help of independent specialists and I look forward to reading their conclusions when they are published later this year.

“In the meantime, I urge everyone with an interest in the matter to make their views known on HS2.”

People can have their say on the issue by writing to Freepost RSLX-UCGZ-UKSS, High Speed Rail Consultation, PO Box 59528, London, SE21 9AX, or visiting highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.