New report shows HS2 “unnecessary” in Warrington, says MP

MP Helen Jones

Tory Richard Short

A NEW report from HS2 Ltd – the company behind the controversial high speed railway plan – reinforces the case for scrapping the section of the line that would carve through parts of Warrington.
This is the view of  MP Helen Jones, following publication of the document “Changing Britain: HS2 taking root.”
The Warrington North MP has campaigned against the Hoo Green to Bamfurlong Spur – which would run through Culcheth and Glazebrook and the outskirts of Lymm – from the outset.
She says the spur line would be “the whitest of white elephants” and would devastate Culcheth and Hollins Green, inflicting serious environmental damage.
Ms Jones is calling on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to take heed of the report.
She said: “This document tells us little about the Government’s thinking on the route but I hope the Secretary of State will read it and see that the logic behind the report makes the spur through Warrington redundant.
“The report concentrates on the Crewe Hub and the Warrington interchange and,  in my view, clearly reinforces the case for abandoning the spur.
“When I raised questions about the validity of the spur in Parliament last year the minister accepted that I had raised valid points which would be reviewed.
“Since then the mood music from Government has changed and the spur seems to still be a real possibility.
“ I still hope that sense will prevail and that the Secretary of State will accept that the spur is unnecessary, particularly as this report reinforces that argument.
“ We must now wait to see what this Government will decide about the route and how it will effect us here in Warrington – an announcement was promised this Autumn, after being postponed from last Spring.  I hope the announcement is not postponed again – the uncertainty has not helped one iota with many of my constituents suffering planning blight. “
But Conservatives in North Warrington have criticised Ms Jones for not taking part in a recent debate on HS2 in Westminster Hall.
MPs had the opportunity to ask questions and comment on the planned route, including in the Warrington area, but according to Richard Short, who stood for the Tories in Warrington North in last year’s General Election, Ms Jones failed to take part.
He said: “It was very disappointing to find that the local Labour MP had failed to take part in the debate. This despite the fact that one of her main pledges during the election was to stand up for local residents as far as the planned HS2 route was concerned. Once again we find that the Helen Jones rhetoric does not match up to her actions. When given the opportunity to speak as the voice of the residents of Warrington North she was silent.”
A spokesman for the Warrington North Conservatives added: “The Conservative team in Warrington will continue to lobby Ministers and HS2 on behalf of residents in challenging the proposed route and will campaign for the current West Coast mainline route through Warrington be upgraded at a smaller cost and at far less disruption to residents. “
He added that they would also continue to support the Culcheth and District Rail Action Group in their campaign to have the proposed route changed.

Ms Jones responded: “It is very interesting to see Mr Short has resurfaced after having nothing to do with Warrington North for the past year or so. He has been completely absent since the General Election. It is clear he is being very selective with the facts and still does not understand how Parliament works. MPs are not always free to attend debates and  he is clearly unaware that I chair the Petitions Select Committee on Tuesday afternoons. If he had been about he would know that I have raised the issue in two Parliamentary debates as well as securing an Adjournment Debate specifically on the impact  of HS2 on Warrington. In addition I have asked over 20 Parliamentary questions, both written and oral, on Hs2 and the spur. The answers have been shared with the various anti-spur groups in Culcheth and Hollins Green and if he had been taking any interest he would know that.”