HS2: David Cameron faces high speed rail rebellion over go-ahead to £500m tunnel

By
Daniel Martin

Last updated at 8:59 AM on 9th January 2012

The Prime Minister faces a revolt from ministers, backbench MPs and local councils over this week’s expected go-ahead for a new high speed rail route from London to Birmingham.

More than 30 MPs could vote against the £32billion scheme, while some ministers – including Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan – may resign.

Eighteen councils oppose the project and one of them, Aylesbury Vale, is preparing the case for a judicial review.

Threat: Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan threatened to resign over the prospect of the high speed network running through her constituency

Threat: Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan threatened to resign over the prospect of the high speed network running through her constituency

Plans for a £500million railway tunnel along part of the route in Buckinghamshire are expected to be unveiled this week. Whitehall sources say they
hope the scheme will be enough to persuade Amersham and Chesham MP Ms Gillan to
withdraw her threat of resignation.

The Welsh Secretary threatened to quit at the
prospect of some of the loveliest countryside in England being scarred
by new trains racing by at 250mph.

However, the move would come at a
heavy price – the planned extra tunnel works out at about £190,000 a
yard, or nearly £5,300 per inch.

Sources said the proposal was one of several expected concessions in the £32 billion High Speed 2 link.

Balancing act: Transport Minister Justine Greening

Balancing act: Transport Minister Justine Greening

It is also part of a campaign by Transport Minister Justine Greening, appointed last October, to win over not just her fellow
Ministers but also the travelling public.

The opposition highlights the growing
concern from campaigners over the heavy cost to taxpayers, disruption
to local communities and damage to the countryside.

A ‘growing number’ of Tory MPs however are opposed to the route, according to South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom.

‘I cannot assume which way they would
go in a Commons vote, but I am talking of more than 30,’ she said.

‘I am all in
favour of more spending on infrastructure, but this is a vast
enterprise. The economic case has not been made.’

A Transport Department source said that within days of arriving at the department, Ms
Greening summoned aides and told them that she wanted to change the
approach taken by her straight-faced predecessor Philip Hammond.

‘What this department needs is acts of love,’ said Ms Greening, 42.

The rail line, which will reduce
journey times between London and Birmingham to 49 minutes by 2026, cuts
through a swathe of Tory-held seats and is barely two miles from
Chequers, the Prime Minister’s retreat.

Last year, Ms Gillan stunned
colleagues by threatening to quit if the rail line was approved. In
November, she told Ms Greening that the proposed HS2 route would ‘leave a
deep scar on the stunning, fragile and unique British countryside’ in
her constituency. Ms Gillan was unavailable for comment last night.

Plans: How journey times will be cut

But some opponents of the link said
the concessions were not enough. Steven Adams, a Tory councillor in
Buckinghamshire, said: ‘After years of blight and destruction, local
people will still be left with a £32 billion iron motorway, and all of
its accompanying maintenance roads, vents and shafts, ruining one of the
most beautiful parts of Britain.’

The Transport Department declined to comment. But Mr Cameron yesterday talked about his passionate belief in the need for high-speed rail.

‘The things that have made the biggest difference to regional patterns of growth are major transport infrastructure,’ he said.

‘If you really want this agenda,
rebalancing the economy, spreading growth out from the South East,
linking our biggest cities with high-speed rail, it’s an agenda you
simply can’t ignore.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

This line will never, ever reach Edinburgh or Glasgow – 1) they are included simply to try and con Scots into thinking we’re getting something out of the failed and corrupt Union, and 2) Scotland will be independent by the time they start building it.

Start it in Scotland at the North Coast and run it down both coasts and then there will be no arguments and it will bring jobs etc. to Scotland. Let the moaners in the south continue to be squashed together but open up Scotland.
Not everyone wants independence but there is little doubt in the North of England and Scotland we feel like the poor relations.

High speed trains like this are commonplace in other countries. Why are we trailing behind? At the moment we don’t have a decent transport network. I think we should have these high speed trains linking every major city in the UK with fares that people can easily afford. It would help ease pressure on the roads. Also put more freight back on the trains.

This can only be allowed to go ahead if it benifits British industry as well. The trains must be made in the UK and to hell with EU quoting regulations. If this new line is paid for by British taxpayers we cannot have another fiasco where a major train contracts goes to Germany (or France). Lets keep the money in Britain for British companies and jobs. Those 2 countries try all manner of tricks and flouting of rules to make sure infrastructure projects go to their own company’s. Its about time Britain started doing the same. You do not see them buying our trains.
We must also not forget the Japanese manufacturers as well, as all the trains for the new Kent service of HS1 are made by Hitachi as well. That should not be repeated for HS2

Will this new HS2 network be able to run through the Cross-Rail line under London, so trains can go through to Paris?
Will this new HS2 network link up to the new Heathrow, if it is moved to the Thames Estuary?
Will this new HS2 network be an essential link in a modern coordinated transport system — or be a waste of space in a disjointed mess that requires four train changes between Paris and Edinburgh?
Future generations will judge the Conservative and Liberal Parties harshly, if they spend all this money, and get it completely wrong.

My question is “Why do we need a multi billion pound train line from London to Birmingham and the answer I keep coming up with is – WE DON’T! Another scandal of corporations cosying up to our spineless, cowardly and greedy MPs.

She’s ‘unavailable for comment’? Seems she’s made loads of comments to protect her salary! Now, how’s abot she stands up for ALL taxpayers, not just the ones who keep her in her sinecure?

for pete’s sake lets get with the program! the french had their TGV 20 years ago and we will be 40 years behind already. when we build the HS2 .

Blackmail is illegal in this country, unless your a politician, banker or other NWO member.

Dave, I hope you sleep well in the knowledge that your future Prime Ministers will have to endure the noise night and day that these trains will bring to Chequers, less than 2 miles away across beautiful open countryside.

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