HS2 Gets The Green Light, but not nature and the English Countryside

First, my apologies for venting my feelings. I’m all for looking after the environment, but it has to be at the right price, and I don’t mean financial. 

So, HS2 has finally got the go-ahead. 

In my opinion, the HS2 project shows total disregard for the countryside, nature and the environment.

 Having seen the devastation to wildlife last year, caused by some of the smaller pre-construction sites, where woodland had been removed at the time birds would have been nesting, causing birds to flee and try to find a home elsewhere, and all lampposts on my drive to/from work, were full of birds of all types, without a home, without somewhere to find food!

This was small scale compared to what is yet to come!

To add insult to the dame already caused, we are to endure years of disruption to our current transport infrastructure where many major roads will have their traffic flow disrupted where HS2 crosses or runs in close proximity to the road. This includes all roads, from small country lanes to the motorways.

For me, living close to Birmingham International Station, where Phase on finishes, and Phase 2 starts, all the roads I need to access (M6, M42, A45, A452, A446, and south for work, A46 & M40) to go anywhere, will be impacted.

As I understand it, the Northern section, post Manchester, is to be reviewed at a later date, so that could potentially blow the idealism of joining London to the North!

Interestingly, a ban on new diesel and petrol cars comes in to effect from 2035, something that was introduced before the announcement that HS2 will go-ahead.

Perhaps I’m being a little too cynical, but my suspicions are, fuel and road duty will increase considerably for the remaining diesel and petrol cars still on the road.

I wonder how much will be used to pay off HS2!

Here is RSPB England's tweet from earlier today:

"With the green light expected today for #HS2 the RSPB says that without a fundamental rethink this is the wrong decision. For ancient woodlands, for barn owls, for nature."

(Link here to view online: https://twitter.com/RSPBEngland/status/1227138040587571200)

One final thing to add, a quote from Boris Johnson, as part of his COP26 speech:

"because we must reverse the appalling loss of habitats and species. It’s only by repairing the damage to the natural world, and restoring the balance between humanity and nature - which is now so grotesquely out of kilter, that we can address the problem of climate change"

 

I’m not anticipating any replies, I will reiterate my apology for venting off steam and say thank you to those who stayed to the end of this.

I'll now crawl back in to my hole....