Post by Madhatter on Jun 13, 2013 13:48:45 GMT
Further appeal lodged over HS2
Written byBY RYAN MERRIMAN
www.nuneaton-news.co.uk
A FURTHER appeal against the HS2 line that with cut through parts of Warwickshire has been lodged by local authorities.
Warwickshire County Council, in partnership with local authorities along the proposed high speed rail (HS2) line who form the 51M group, has lodged an appeal against the ruling of the Judicial Review announced earlier this year.
The group had issued a legal challenge to the government on the HS2 plans based on an ‘unfair consultation and inadequate environmental assessment’.
The decision to proceed with the Y route - north of Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds - without properly consulting those who will be affected, was also considered unfair, according to the group.
Having been unsuccessful with the Judicial Review outcome, the county council, along with another 15 authorities, which includes North Warwickshire Borough Council, are now taking the next step, to the Court of Appeal.
They are doing this in a bid to get a full and fair assessment of the scheme.
Councillor Bob Stevens, Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet member for HS2, said: “We are now going to the Appeal Court in a bid to get the government to think again.
“We maintain that the business case is flawed, the environmental impact is damaging and has not been thoroughly considered, and there has been inadequate public consultation.
“It is clear that the case for HS2 does not stack up. We have seen in recent weeks a report by the National Audit Office questioning the business case and the predicted regeneration benefits, while the Major Projects Authority flagged the scheme as ‘amber’, saying it is unlikely to be delivered on time and on budget.
“Three more local authorities along the route of the line north of Birmingham have also added their voices to the opposition. They recognise that rather than helping their areas, the scheme is more likely to draw investment and jobs into London.â€
The draft Environmental Statement has been issued for public consultation by HS2 Limited along with the Code of Construction Practice.
Many concerns have been expressed about these documents and the county council is examining them in detail and will respond to the consultation ahead of the closing date on July 11.
Cllr Stevens added: “This public consultation is just eight weeks in duration, which gives us very limited time to consider the content of many thousands of pages of information.â€
Warwickshire County Council remains opposed to the HS2 project and agreed to work with other local authorities as part of the 51M Group - a consortium opposed to the HS2 proposals - which is providing a co-ordinated opposition to the scheme.
Written byBY RYAN MERRIMAN
www.nuneaton-news.co.uk
A FURTHER appeal against the HS2 line that with cut through parts of Warwickshire has been lodged by local authorities.
Warwickshire County Council, in partnership with local authorities along the proposed high speed rail (HS2) line who form the 51M group, has lodged an appeal against the ruling of the Judicial Review announced earlier this year.
The group had issued a legal challenge to the government on the HS2 plans based on an ‘unfair consultation and inadequate environmental assessment’.
The decision to proceed with the Y route - north of Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds - without properly consulting those who will be affected, was also considered unfair, according to the group.
Having been unsuccessful with the Judicial Review outcome, the county council, along with another 15 authorities, which includes North Warwickshire Borough Council, are now taking the next step, to the Court of Appeal.
They are doing this in a bid to get a full and fair assessment of the scheme.
Councillor Bob Stevens, Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet member for HS2, said: “We are now going to the Appeal Court in a bid to get the government to think again.
“We maintain that the business case is flawed, the environmental impact is damaging and has not been thoroughly considered, and there has been inadequate public consultation.
“It is clear that the case for HS2 does not stack up. We have seen in recent weeks a report by the National Audit Office questioning the business case and the predicted regeneration benefits, while the Major Projects Authority flagged the scheme as ‘amber’, saying it is unlikely to be delivered on time and on budget.
“Three more local authorities along the route of the line north of Birmingham have also added their voices to the opposition. They recognise that rather than helping their areas, the scheme is more likely to draw investment and jobs into London.â€
The draft Environmental Statement has been issued for public consultation by HS2 Limited along with the Code of Construction Practice.
Many concerns have been expressed about these documents and the county council is examining them in detail and will respond to the consultation ahead of the closing date on July 11.
Cllr Stevens added: “This public consultation is just eight weeks in duration, which gives us very limited time to consider the content of many thousands of pages of information.â€
Warwickshire County Council remains opposed to the HS2 project and agreed to work with other local authorities as part of the 51M Group - a consortium opposed to the HS2 proposals - which is providing a co-ordinated opposition to the scheme.