HS2 suffers setback as authority objects

High speed rail would bring "significant and unacceptable environmental damage and disruption" to Staffordshire, a formal document on the scheme claims today.

Staffordshire County Council has drafted a response to the Government on the proposed £32 billion line that will bring 225 mph trains to Britain and cut journey times between Birmingham and London to 49 minutes.

Taxpayers will fund £17bn of the work but the Government is convinced it will have the knock-on effect of ending the north-south divide.

While Birmingham is championing the scheme that will make it the transport hub of Britain, Staffordshire is formally objecting to it on the grounds that it will tear up the countryside and bring no economic benefits.

The council's Conservative cabinet is due to vote on the response next week.

But in the 17-page document transport chief Councillor Mike Maryon sets out the reasons why the authority is opposed to the proposal.