Following engagement and pressure from Craig Tracey MP and resident groups, HS2 Ltd have announced that they will move the proposed line away from Austrey. This will see a significant physical and visual impact removed as the track will no longer cut through Appleby Hill.
North Warwickshire’s Member of Parliament, who has long campaigned and voted against the project, has described it as very positive news for residents in the village:
“HS2’s announcement moves the track back away from the village of Austrey. When the proposals were announced last year I held HS2 to account in Parliament, the move was done by stealth despite reassurances given to local people. I instantly met with the Transport Secretary and HS2 to express my anger and disappointment, but I am glad that they have listened and today’s track move is a welcome one. This means that the line will not be directly on the village boundary”
In November the local MP had described his anger at the decision to move the line closer to Austrey, ‘I find the lack of communication and clarity for residents outrageous and I told that to HS2 Ltd and the Transport Secretary’ he commented at the time. Further meetings including with residents and action groups followed where HS2, accepting that the change was wrong, moved the proposed track line further away from the village.
Austrey HS2 Action Group Chair David Rowse commented:
“This is excellent news for Austrey and its residents, many of whom have been extremely worried and concerned about the negative impact that HS2 would have on the village if allowed to pass very close to this small rural community. Of course, this decision has not happened by chance and the village is grateful to the Action Groups, Warwickshire County Council and North Warwickshire Borough Council for their continuing support, but especially to Craig Tracey, our local MP, for his unstinting efforts which have made this happen.”
Transport Minister Chris Grayling confirmed the decision, stating that HS2 will ‘not to adopt the route proposed in November 2016 to the east of Measham in Leicestershire, but instead to confirm a revised version of the 2013 route to the west of Measham which follows the A42 transport corridor.’