HS2 representatives have been slammed for having “no answers” following a presentation at Warrington Town Hall.
The high speed rail project was in town to address borough and parish council representatives and the town’s MPs.
After the consultation meeting, Warrington North MP Helen Jones (pictured) strongly criticised the project.
She said: “It was clear from meeting with representatives of HS2 Ltd that they have no answers to criticisms of their financial case. Some of the information which they provided to back up their arguments was questionable.
“Their public affairs team came to Warrington with a script which they seemed unable to deviate from, and patronised those who raised the legitimate concerns of residents in Hollins Green and Culcheth.
“I have always believed that the current route does not benefit Warrington – but it is increasingly looking like the financial case does not stack up. Ed Balls is right to say that there cannot be a blank cheque for HS2.”
During the meeting, Cllr Bill Brinksman, from Rixton, questioned the company’s logic behind their preferred route through Hollins Green, likening their proposal to having “just drawn a line on a map” without due consideration to the local community.
He said the plans would decimate the village and split the community.
Cllr Chris Vobe, Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, added: “Particularly concerning to residents in Culcheth was HS2 Ltd’s baffling inability to offer any kind of solution to businesses who will be affected by the construction process.
“They seemed oblivious to the loss of trade to small and medium firms which help our local economy to thrive, and of the knock-on effect to business rates paid to the local authority. The fact that they seemed unable to label their map correctly merely added to the insults!”
HS2 slammed for having no answers
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
17 Comments
At last. Now if David Mowat could stop following the party line we might have a pair of MPs standing up for the interests of Warrington with regard to this scheme.
You must be joking Greyman! Only last week the Warrington North MP was desperately trying to please all of the people all of the time by pledging to fight Culcheth’s corner but supporting the principle of HS2. Now that Ed Balls has expressed doubts about HS2 generally, she has changed her tune. That’s what you call following the party line!
You’re right. But so long as it gets this farcical project replaced with an infrastructure investment that makes sense, I’m OK. We now need David Mowat to oppose this scheme in the best interests of Warrington.
A complete change of tack from the Jones family, has the wind changed direction? They can’t have any credibility left in Culcheth. A typical example of elected representatives toeing the party line ignoring the wishes of those who elected them.
Emanon, I think it’s important to get your facts right. The Warrington North MP has not been trying to “please all of the people all of the time”, and she certainly has never said that she supports HS2. In fact, she has been pretty consistent in saying that she doesn’t believe the route offered has any benefit to Warrington and so has been quite adamant in NOT supporting it. She’s also been very supportive of the action groups that have set up in Culcheth and Hollins Green.
TheHS2 representatives had "no answers" because this project was financially flawed from the start. Each justification for it when properly examined has been successively knocked down. It is an ill considered politically led fanstasy. When money was less hard to come by HS2 would still have been a non-starter. Now, were it to go ahead, it would be a criminal waste of money that could be put much more positive use for the whole of the country, including Warrington, and much sooner than any green sprouts from HS2 might begin to show, if they ever do.
Well, warryfan, I have not seen Ms Jones, or anyone else in the Labour Party, opposing the overall concept of HS2, until after Ed Balls voiced his doubts. Yes, she has opposed the route through her constituency – she’s not THAT daft. But if she really wants to save Culcheth she should oppose HS2 in its entirety – and she should have done so before getting a hint from Ed Balls that it might be OK to do so.
I notice that HS2 have just announced a new Chairman……..salary, £591,000……..nice work if you can get it. With regards to the project, must admit I’ve never been a supporter of it from when the then Labour Government announced it back in 2009, and I can’t see any benefit for Warrington, indeed the current train journey to London is under 2 hours…which seems fine to me, there also seems to be confusion regarding HS2 linking to HS1 and therefore providing rapid journeys to the Continent. If and it is a big if, it gets to Birmingham, I think that is where it will stop, as it will be well over budget and the economic case for it will not be what it was expected to be….albeit that commuters from the Midlands, where I think the demand for capacity might be, will have rapid journeys to London, if of course they can afford the ticket. I have to say it might be better if we got our existing infrastructure up to spec before we embark on such grand projects as HS2….it is a bit like putting in a new drive to your home, when in fact your house is in desperate need of maintenance.
Ever the politicians, Helen Jones and Chris Vobe stop short of opposing HS2. Their comments are nothing that we’ve known for a long time. It’s a pity that it’s taken the nod from Ed Balls for our MP to start questioning the scheme. Is she unable to think for herself? Jones and Vobe have already demonstrated a complete lack of judgement in supporting HS2 and a complete contempt for the residents of North Cheshire. She must think we are all stupid and can’t see what’s going on.
Helen needs to join the groundswell of opinion that opposes HS2 and properly represent her constituents in Westminster.
I very much doubt that Ed Balls’ contribution to the HS2 debate was the thing that brought about a damascene conversion in Helen Jones and Chris Vobe. Balls’ grasp of numbers is on a par with that of Gordon Brown (year two at most), and we all are all currently embroiled in the consequences of that for years to come. Alistair Darling and Peter Mandelson (he of the Millenium Dome or doom more likely) were breaking ranks on HS2 long before Balls put two and two together and made fifty five. To be fair to Helen Jones she is somewhere as being reported as being against HS2.
Tina, Helen Jones has always taken the position that she is opposed to the HS2 route, as you might expect, but she’s never said she opposes HS2 itself. I’ve pushed her countless times to come out and publicly oppose it but she won’t. This is the closest she’s ever been. Whilst Labour support it , she supports it, even if North Warrington residents suffer.
John – ever the belligerent, you choose to let your personal bitterness cloud any semblance of fact or common sense. Helen Jones MP (and Chris Vobe) have always (note the “always”, that means it’s nothing to do with you) opposed the current HS2 plans, citing them as having no benefit to the people that they represent. You constantly accuse them both of failing to represent their electorate properly (I believe you called Helen Jones a “sham” of an MP in one particularly narrow-minded tirade). I can’t think of a more pointed way of representing one’s electorate properly than opposing something which gives them no benefit. You’re also keen for both Mr Vobe and Mrs Jones to oppose the HS2 scheme as a whole. If you paused for a moment to think logically, blanket opposition to a principle which has dozens of variables is rather difficult to do! Speaking hypothetically, suppose that HS2 completely revised their plans, and presented a proposal which saw their train line inflicting no damage on areas like the Linear Park, or the Taylor Business Park, was economically sound, and gave a guarantee that the scheme would create 1,000 jobs for people in Culcheth and Rixton. What are you asking our MP to do then? Say that she can’t support the plans because she’s previously objected to the principle? I am neither advocating, nor dismissing, HS2 outright when I write this, I am merely pointing out that our elected officials can only deal with what is on the table, not what isn’t. It certainly doesn’t appear to me that Helen Jones has “taken a steer” from anyone, and past experience would seem to suggest that she’s not the type of person to do so! Rather than have your contributions dripping with vitriol (referring to Cllr Vobe and Helen Jones just by their surnames and accusing them of a “lack of judgement” borders upon puerile), and bombarding every internet forum and Twitter feed you can, why not take a more reasoned approach? As it stands, you’re looking rather obsessive and it does you little credit.
You’re entitled to your opinion warryfan.
John I’m beginning to believe you are a closet conservative activist. Helen Jones and Chris Vobe have both come in for plenty of unwarranted stick on HS2 and other matters. But the evidence is there if you care to look. Both have argued vociferously in support of their constituents on most matters. Which is more than can be said for their predecessors – certainly in the case of Chris Vobe. In this instance HJMP is reported to have said “It was clear from meeting with representatives of HS2 Ltd that they have no answers to criticisms of their financial case. Some of the information which they provided to back up their arguments was questionable.
“Their public affairs team came to Warrington with a script which they seemed unable to deviate from, and patronised those who raised the legitimate concerns of residents in Hollins Green and Culcheth.
“I have always believed that the current route does not benefit Warrington – but it is increasingly looking like the financial case does not stack up.” That’s more or less what many local people who have little regard for HS2 have been saying, so what more would you have had her say?
Tina, she simply needs to say she opposes HS2 and to fight against it in parliament. Unfortunately, she refuses to do so. All along her aim has been to move the route of HS2 away from Culcheth to become someone else’s problem.
(For what it’s worth, you’re wrong about my politics).
John, no political slight or assumption was intended in my previous posting.
There are most likely many more MPs on both sides of the house who are against HS2 and who – because of our odd system of democracy – are forced to keep their feelings under wraps for now. Despite this Helen Jones has at least had the courage of her convictions to critically rubbish the smoke and mirrors offered up by the HS2 team to ‘justify’ the scheme. I haven’t seen any reports of her wanting to move the route and/or make it someone else’s problem. Taken with HJMP’s many other representations made on behalf of her constituents, her HS2 critique I believe is a more positive and forthright confirmation of her intentions than you get from other MPs. Where for example does David Mowat stand on HS2? And for what it’s worth please don’t judge my politics by that question or this posting.
Warryfan, without people like John HS2 may have gone though without any fuss. Helen Jones should as a representative of Warrington, should listen to the people of Warrington. I have left questions on her Facebook regarding HS2 and she has chosen to ban me from making any comments. Not very democratic or for that matter free speech. All she seems to do is little things to get herself some publicity. But, as John says you are entitled to your opinion.