Pincher Raises HS2 Concerns with New Transport Secretary

Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Hints, Hopwas and Tamworth, yesterday met with new Transport Secretary Justine Greening to highlight his concerns about HS2.  The meeting, in the historic Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons, of 23 MPs included Lichfield’s Michael Fabricant and Jeremy Wright from Kenilworth and Southam.  All three local MPs spoke up for their communities.  Dan Byles was absent on paternity leave.

Mr. Pincher said:

“I made clear to the Secretary of State that I do no believe the business case made for HS2 does not stack up.  I asked her to use the much more reasonable passenger demand projections included in the latest Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook which is sitting on her desk awaiting sign-off.  If she does she will find that there are other more innovative and less intrusive solutions to the West Coast Mainline capacity issue than a brand new transport corridor.”

“I also made clear that the mitigations and compensation package on offer are just not good enough because neither address the problem of planning blight which already affects many local communities.”

“I urged Ms Greening to think again, look at the alternatives, and decide against building a brand new transport corridor across virgin countryside.”

The entire transcript of the meeting will be posted on the Department for Transport website in the next few days and will be available for public view.  Committee Room 14 has in the past been the scene of high drama.  It is the meeting place for Conservative MPs and is where, in 1990, Margaret Thatcher learned that she had failed to win re-election as Conservative Party Leader.