For information and guidance on the consultation questions, please go to www.51m.co.uk
51m are fourteen local authorities which have joined together in a national campaign to actively oppose the HS2 scheme. They are known as “51m” because that represents how much HS2 will cost each and every Parliamentary Constituency…£51million. The group want to emphasise the impact this proposed scheme will have on every taxpayer in the country for years to come.
Which councils are involved?
Buckinghamshire County Council
Aylesbury Vale District Council
Chiltern District Council
South Bucks District Council
Wycombe District Council
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cherwell District Council
Lichfield District Council
South Northants District Council
Warwick District Council
North Warwickshire Borough Council
Warwickshire County Council
Stratford-on-Avon District Council
The 51m position statement
Each of the councils has signed up to the following position statement:
“The authorities along the route have come together to oppose the proposals for High Speed Rail as they are currently proposed.
We do not believe that the business case stacks up and therefore cannot support the route suggested by Government and are actively working on a plan to strongly object to the proposals.
We are opposed to the current High Speed rail proposals as they are presently outlined and do not believe that they are in the best interests of the UK as a whole in terms of the benefits claimed in the business case
We are not opposed to the need for higher speed rail per se and fully acknowledge the need for strategic improvement to the national rail infrastructure but cannot agree with the current proposals as the economic and environmental benefits are not at all credible.
We do not believe that all the other alternatives to achieve the transport capacity, regeneration and environmental benefits have been fully explored by the Government and with in excess of £30billion proposed to be invested, we owe it to the nation to ensure these are fully explored.”
if you have any questions or comments please email 51m@buckscc.gov.uk