Joint statement on go-ahead for HS2 from Leaders of Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council. (Image supplied by Buckinghamshire County Council)

The leaders of Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council have issued a joint statement on the decision announced on Tuesday 11th February 2020 to give the go-ahead to HS2.

‘The wrong decision, not just for Buckinghamshire but the country‘ was the view of Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council and Angela Macpherson, Leader of Aylesbury Vale District Council to the news of the Government’s decision to continue with High Speed 2.

Cllr Angela Macpherson, Leader Aylesbury Vale District Council. (Image supplied by Buckinghamshire County Council)

The joint statement continues: ‘We have consistently opposed this scheme for over ten years. This is not just on environmental grounds but most importantly because the business case has never stacked up and still doesn’t.

The cost of HS2 has sky rocketed since it was originally proposed just as we predicted. The astronomic costs to the taxpayer would be far better spent on improving commuter lines into our major cities and linking our northern towns and cities as a key part of levelling up the country as promised by the Government.

The proposal in the leaked Oakervee Report to provide for a station in rural north Buckinghamshire is neither welcome nor wanted. We long ago argued that, if there were a station, it should be at Aylesbury to help existing residents – not one that would ruin the countryside.‘

*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire County Council.