Public Consultation

Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, today launched the public consultation on High Speed Rail. It is one of the biggest public consultations ever undertaken, and will cover the Government's proposed strategy for a wider network linking London, the West Midlands and Manchester and Leeds, and the proposals for a route from London to the West Midlands.

The proposed wider network would deliver around £44bn of benefits and would cut 30 minutes off the journey between London and Birmingham and around an hour off journeys between London and Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh. In addition, released capacity on existing lines such as the West Coast Main Line would offer the possibility of more frequent, fast commuter services from places such as Milton Keynes and Coventry.

The consultation will run until 29 July, and there will be roadshows in towns and villages along the proposed route between London and the West Midlands.

The roadshows will give local people an opportunity to read the evidence underlying the proposals and a wide range of material explaining the project including a number of factsheets. There will be experts for people to talk to, such as engineers, environmentalists and property specialists from HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport, who can explain the proposals in detail and the potential effects on the local area.

Sir Brian Briscoe, Chairman of HS2 Ltd, said:

“Our work has shown that there is a real need for HS2 to relieve the ever worsening problems of over crowding on the rail system, and for the economic boost it would bring to the regions and businesses of this country.

“But we want to do everything we can to minimise the potential impacts of HS2, so I would encourage everyone who has an interest in the proposals to come to our roadshows and talk to us. This is your opportunity to voice your concerns and find out more about the Government’s proposals, and have all the information you need to respond to the consultation.”

The roadshows will be at:

Public roadshows

Location

Date

Address

Euston

 

24-25 March

Euston Square Gardens (West), Euston Station, Euston Road, London, NW1 2RT

Queens Park

 

26 March

Salusbury Road Car Park, Salusbury Road, West Kilburn, London,  NW6 6NL

Swiss Cottage

 

28 March

Swiss Cottage Farmers' Market, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London, NW3 3EU

Ruislip and Ickenham

 

30-31 March

Winston Churchill Hall, Manor Farm Site, Pinn Way, Ruislip, HA4 7QL

Old Oak Common

 

1 April

Westfield London Shopping Centre, Westfield Way, W12 7GF (outside Shepherd’s Bush Overground Station)

Euston

 

2 April

Camden Centre, Biddborough Street,  London, WC1H 9AU

Camden

 

4 April

Castlehaven Youth Centre, 21 Castlehaven Road, Greater London, NW1 8RU

Perivale and Ealing

 

7 April

Greenford Assembly Hall, Ruislip Road (jcn with Oldfield Lane South), Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 9QN

Chalfont St Giles

 

9 May

Blizzards Yard Car Park, High Street, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks, HP8 4QA

Aylesbury

 

10-11 May

Stoke Mandeville Stadium, The Olympic Lodge Hotel, Guttmann Rd, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 9PP

Great Missenden

 

12 May

Black Horse Pub Car Park, Aylesbury Road, Mobwell, Great Missenden Bucks HP16 9AX

Wendover

 

13-14 May

Wendover Memorial Hall, Wharf Road, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6HF

Greatworth

 

17 May

Greatworth Sports and Social Club Car Park, Helmdon Rd, Banbury, Oxon, OX17 2DR

Amersham

 

18-19 May

Amersham and Chiltern Rugby Football Club, Ash Grove, Weedon Lane, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5QU

Waddesdon

 

21 May

Waddesdon Church of England School Car Park, Baker Street, Waddesdon, Bucks, HP18 0LQ

Washwood Heath

 

23 May

Hodge Hill Constituency Office Car Park, Ward End Park House, Washwood Heath Rd, Ward End, Birmingham, B8 2HB

Chipping Warden

 

24 May

Village Hall Car Park, Culworth Road, Chipping Warden, Banbury, Oxon, OX17 1LB

Upper Boddington

 

25 May

Boddington Village Hall Car Park, Warwick Road, Upper Boddington, Northants, NN11 6DH

Calvert Green

 

26 May

Calvert Green Community Centre Car Park, Cotswolds Way, Calvert Green, Bucks, MK18 2FJ

Brackley

 

27-28 May

Brackley Leisure Centre, Springfield Way, Brackley, Northants, NN13 6JJ

Ladbroke

 

2 June

Bell Inn Car Park, Banbury Road, Ladbroke, Warks, CV47 2BY

Southam

 

3-4 June

Graham Adams Centre, St James Road, Southam, Warks, CV47 0LY

Cubbington

 

6 June

Cubbington Sports and Social Club Car Park, Windmill Hill, Cubbington, Leamington Spa, Warks, CV32 7LN

Balsall Common

 

7 June

Jubilee Centre Car Park, off Station Road, Balsall Common, Solihull, CV7 7FE

Lichfield

 

8-9 June

Lichfield Guildhall, Bore Street, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 6LX

Burton Green

 

10 June

Village Hall Car Park, Hodgetts Lane, Burton Green, Kenilworth, CV8 1PH

Water Orton

 

11 June

The Link, 4 New Road, Water Orton, Birmingham, B46 1QU

Kenilworth

 

13-14 June

Holiday Inn, 212 Abbey End, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1ED

Hampton in Arden

 

15 June

Sports Centre Car Park, Shadowbrook Road, Hampton in Arden, Solihull, B32 0DQ

Birmingham

 

17-18 June

Waterhall (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH

The consultation document and the documents underlying the proposals such as the Appraisal of Sustainability, economic case report and engineering report have been published on the consultation website and will also be available, for example, at central libraries along the line of route.

People can respond to the consultation on the website at http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk or by completing a questionnaire form which can be found in the summary of the consultation document.

For further information go to at http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk or contact the public enquiries team on 020 7944 4908 or HS2enquiries@hs2.gsi.gov.uk