High Speed Rail - Latest News

Local MP Dan Byles held a meeting last week with Theresa Villiers MP, Minister for Transport, to discuss the High Speed Rail link (HS2) issue affecting parts of North Warwickshire. Also present at the meeting were Andrea  Leadsom MP (South Northamptonshire) and Chris Pincher MP (Tamworth).  The meeting was to discuss progress in the Government’s thinking on HS2.

Theresa Villiers made several important comments:

-          The Secretary of State, Philip Hammond MP, is considering all of the current available evidence and advice before finally deciding which route/s for HS2 to consult on in early 2011.

-          The Government will take all realistic measures to mitigate the damage caused to the environment and communities along the route.  This will include using slower speeds and tunnelling where necessary and appropriate in order to minimise the impact on sensitive areas.

-          On the exceptional hardship scheme, the Secretary of State will make an announcement soon (probably in September) on the shape of the scheme.  Those wanting to submit claims should write to his office now with a copy to me, in order to be considered in the first group.  Any compensation would be at 100% of pre-blight levels.

Dan and his colleagues urged Theresa Villiers and the Secretary of State to visit our constituencies to meet with local residents and see at first hand aspects of Route 3.  Teresa Villiers undertook to look into when the Secretary of State will be able to do this