Conservative MP for North Warwickshire & Bedworth Craig Tracey has made a stand in Parliament to try to stop the HS2 scheme that he says will devastate communities in his constituency.
The local MP submitted a motion to stop the proposals outright, whilst also calling for a Kingsbury railhead special management zone, a Kingsbury railhead restoration clause and a community detriment fund. Mr Tracey has supported a number of other amendments tabled by anti-HS2 MPs in Parliament.
Craig commented:
“HS2 will devastate our communities in North Warwickshire, the proposals have a railhead planned near Kingsbury and there is the ‘Y’ junction meaning both phase one and two impacts on North Warwickshire. I pledged to fight HS2 and these amendments follow on from my correspondence last week with the Transport Minister outlining my concerns over safety issues and financing the project.
“I have been in close contact with residents and local action groups to ensure our concerns are heard in Parliament. We believe that we are a ‘special case’ and my proposed clause for the Special Management Zone includes Kingsbury, Lea Marston, Curdworth, Wishaw and Middleton parish councils and North Warwickshire as a whole. It would ensure community engagement team for managing community relations, including the referral, escalation, monitoring and resolution of complaints.”
“I have also tabled a clause for a Community Detriment Fund which attempts to address adverse impacts of HS2 construction on communities, including but not limited to impaired accessibility, diminution in availability of community amenities, and physical effects of construction.”
Craig Tracey MP, previously lived in Birchmoor which the proposed line runs through, has also tabled an amendment to stop the HS2 Bill progressing through Parliament. His proposal stated that Parliament ‘declines to give a Third Reading to the High Speed Rail Bill because there has been a fundamental lack of adequate engagement with interested parties about the impact of the Bill, and because the Bill provides for a railway line that has insufficient station provision to connect adequately with other modes of transport, provides inadequate compensation to those blighted by the route and to those whose property is subject to compulsory purchase, does not adequately take into account concerns about construction traffic management, and inflicts unnecessary environmental damage, including to wildlife habitats, ancient woodland and waterways.’
The HS2 Bill Third reading will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday 23rd March.
Craig concluded:
“There are a number of amendments tabled, we hope there will be sufficient time allocated in Parliament. Unfortunately all major Parties support the scheme, but I will continue to do all I can to oppose HS2 and support residents whose lives this project has had such an adverse effect on.”