Two former Conservative Transport Ministers have criticised plans for a high speed rail line.
The HS2 line would cut through parts of Lichfield and the surrounding villages and has been met by fierce opposition along the route.
Campaigners have been boosted ahead of a legal challenge after Lord Cecil Parkinson and Christopher Chope MP weighed into the row.
“I am very sceptical about the whole thing,” Lord Parkinson said. “I see it as of limited value and almost unlimited expense.”
The view was also supported by Dorset MP Mr Chope who told The Sunday Telegraph that HS2 is “an extremely expensive example of political folly”.
He added: “We would get a lot more bang for our buck from this £32 billion in some new motorways, bypasses and upgrading the existing rail network.”
The latest voices to speak out have been music to the ears of Stop HS2 campaign coordinator Joe Rukin.
“Slowly but surely we have seen more and more decision makers and people with influence come round to our way of thinking,” he said. “The problem with so many politicians is that they still know nothing about HS2, have been seduced by the words ‘high speed rail’ and assuming it must be a good idea with no real idea of the actual case for it.
“The more we keep HS2 in the spotlight and the more people we get our message out to, the more the support crumbles and long may it continue.”
