Anti high-speed rail protesters turn up the volume

And Warwick District Council’s executive committee voted on Wednesday to allot £100,000 towards a campaign to fight the project by local authorities along the route of the line.

Members of Kenilworth’s Stop HS2 Action Group and the HS2 Action Alliance planned to play a recording of the noise they say HS2 will create at the Conservative Party Local Government Conference opposite the Chesford Grange Hotel this morning (Friday).

While Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman address Tory councillors from across the country, the protesters are hoping to make the point that, in light of massive Government funding cuts, HS2 would be a financial disaster which should not be a priority for the county at present.

Cllr Michael Coker (Con, Kenilworth Abbey), HS2 Action Alliance director Graham Long and the Kenilworth action group’s chairman Joe Rukin will all speak at the rally.

Mr Rukin said: “Eric Pickles’ Localism Bill and all this ‘big society’ stuff is meant to be all about giving communities more say about what happens in their areas, but more than 60 communities fighting HS2 will be frozen out, as they have decided that this vanity project is ‘in the public interest’. Our community has had to fight to keep its fire station and nursery school and now it is the police station and youth club in the firing line, yet the Government wants to blow £34 billion on one train line which they think might deliver some benefit to the north in 30 or 40 years time.”

District council leader Cllr Michael Doody (Con, Radford Semele) asked the executive to increase the amount set aside to fight the “blight” from £50,000 to £100,000. He stressed the campaign pitted local authorities against Westminster, where every party supported the scheme, and added that he would be seeking a contribution from Warwickshire County Council.

Cllr Les Caborn (Con, Lapworth) said: “We need to protect the whole district against this economic and environmental disaster. It is very sad that the council taxpayer has to pay this. If the Government dropped it immediately we wouldn’t need to spend this.”

The council’s chief executive Chris Elliott responded to a question from Cllr John Barrott (Lab, Leamington Willes) about where the £100,000 figure had come from.

Mr Elliott explained that at a meeting of authorities opposed to the line, Buckinghamshire County Council had already committed £100,000, with another £400,000 for the next four years.

Mr Elliott said: “For us to be a worthwhile partner, £50,000 was not enough. If you’re going to play at the table, you have to put your chips down.”

Every MP has been invited to attend the Stop HS2 National Convention at Stoneleigh Park on Saturday February 19.

Speakers will include Prof Mike Geddes, of the Offchurch Action Group Against HS2, and sustainable transport expert Prof John Whitelegg. Tickets cost £12. Click on the link to the top right.