High Speed Rail 2 – meeting follow up

This is an update on the High Speed 2 meeting which your local Lib Dems helped set up on Wednesday this week.

We remain very concerned about this Labour government proposal which would mean tunnelling under Primrose Hill homes. The rationale for this £25billion scheme to come into Euston remains unclear and there seem many alternatives for a less sensitive route.

The turnout at the meeting was very high though regrettably no government or council officers would attend during the pre-election ‘purdah’ period. It was great to see our community come together to make our voices heard.

A key issue from the meeting was the looming consultation deadline of 20th May for the Exceptional Hardship Scheme, the system proposed to compensate ‘residential owner-occupiers of properties the value of which may be seriously affected by the preferred route option for any new high speed rail link’.

We are astonished that High Speed 2 appears to be using the cover of the election to avoid having to speak to residents. We are fighting to get this date pushed back.

Jo Shaw, our local parliamentary campaigner and a barrister specialising in housing law said “It is outrageous that the Labour government want to rush through this consultation without Primrose Hill residents being given proper information. The local Lib Dems will do everything they can to make sure that local voices are heard.”

Jo and the team have contacted High Speed 2, the Labour Minister responsible and the Cabinet Office, who regulates the government’s Code of Practice on Consultations about the consultation deadline of 20th May. We will update residents the minute we get a response.

As suggested by residents the sensible aim now is to fight the 20th May deadline. Meanwhile we should get High Speed 2 officers here to quiz them on the scheme as soon as possible. Residents are also keen to form a local action group and we are keen to assist alongside other local parties.

High Speed 2 can be contacted on 020 7944 4908, consultation documents on the Exceptional Hardship Scheme are at: http://tiny.cc/zwmqs

Don’t forget you can contact us at any time.

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