HS2 objection to be submitted
An official objection to the second phase of the HS2 rail link will be submitted by Staffordshire County Council chiefs who are putting the finishing touches to the document.
Chiefs last week voted to petition the HS2 bill at a cost of up to £200,000 to the taxpayer.
And now bosses are preparing their response to the consultation on the second phase of the project. They have drawn up a statement which will be submitted in the coming weeks.
The line, which would carve up areas of Staffordshire countryside, is due to begin operating in 2026, with a second phase taking trains on a Y-shaped spur to Manchester and Leeds from 2033. The council's objection to phase two lays out the reasons why it should not go ahead.
It goes into detail about countryside and woodland that will be affected and the impact on villages.
The document has been drawn up with comments received from parish councils and community action groups along the Phase Two route.
It will be presented to the county council this week for approval. It comes after the House of Commons Transport Committee insisted it was 'vital' for the UK for the project to go ahead.
Councillor Mark Winnington, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: "From the very outset we have been opposed to HS2 due to the unacceptable impact it will have on Staffordshire, our communities and on our countryside and the fact it will bring no tangible economic benefits to the county.
"We have continued to champion the cause of residents in Phase One to mitigate the effect of the scheme and win timely compensation and will draw on our experience in putting together a response to the consultation on Phase Two."
