A decision not to bury HS2 power cables near Lichfield has been criticised by the area’s MP.
The HS2 Parliamentary Committee opted to back the decision for pylons to be used instead for the controversial high speed rail route when it passes through Blithfield.
The committee said the decision was a more cost effective one.
A report said: “We accept that the proposal for the siting of overground pylons is the best option for provision of electricity to the railway.
“The cost differential is £65 million.
“Although the area is rural in nature, it is an undulating landscape and so the pylons would appear at differing heights and thus not make a huge impact on the landscape.”
But Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said the cost would be a relative drop in the ocean compared to the overall £100billion price tag.
“I am disappointed that the HS2 Parliamentary Committee has come out in favour of pylons as opposed to buried cables to provide power for the HS2 railway line at Blithfield,” the Conservative MP said.
Michael adds “Given the cost of the railway is likely to be in the region of £100 billion, £65 million is neither here nor there.
“But with the cost and time over-run of Crossrail, I hope that a new Conservative Prime Minister may be chosen who shares my doubts about the whole viability of the HS2 programmme and will stop it in its tracks.”
