Lib Dem HS2 Challenge Group
Who are we?
A group of Lib Dem constituency associations* who are working with the 51M group of local authorities to oppose the current HS2 proposals.
(*Aylesbury, Chilterns, Kenilworth & Southam and Three Rivers local parties)
The Lib Dem HS2 Challenge Group was launched at a fringe event ("A Better Alternative to HS2?") held at the national conference in Birmingham in Spetmeber.
Main speaker at the event was Jerry Marshall, chair of AGAHST - Action Groups Against High Speed Two (www.agahst.org), the national co-ordinating body for local Stop HS2 action groups. Jerry attacked the whole case for the proposed £33 billion HS2 project on grounds of cost, overstated benefits, environmental impact, failure to address the north/south divide, and failure to consider much better alternatives.
AGAHST used the meeting to launch a new manifesto, "A Better Railway for Britain", which can be downloaded in full at www.betterthanhs2.org.
Also speaking was Marcus Rogers representing 51M (www.51m.co.uk), a group of 18 local authorities that have come together to challenge the evidence base of the HS2 project. Marcus described the business case as a "basket case", and attacked the failure of HS2 to be part of any overall integrated transport strategy for the UK.
Audience contributions included ones in support of HS2 from representatives of both Virgin Trains and Network Rail, but with most speakers passionately against the current HS2 proposal. An upcoming parliamentary debate on HS2 on 13th October was highlighted, and everyone was urged to contact their MPs to ensure their views were known.
The "Nimby" tag used by Philip Hammond to dismiss anti-HS2 arguments should be ignored by Liberal Democrats, who have always been an evidence-based party. Attendees at the meeting expect and hope that Norman Baker MP and his parliamentary colleagues will by-pass the hype and sound-bites about HS2, and look critically at the weaknesses in its economic and environmental case before it is too late.
A PDF version of a leaflet handed out at the meeting, "A Better Railway for Britain - without HS2", can be downloaded here:-
http://kenilworthandsouthamlibdems.org.uk/en/document/a-better-railway-for-britain-without-hs2
Any local parties or individual members wanting to know more about the Lib Dem HS2 Challenge Group should email hs2challenge@kandslibdems.org.uk.
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