HS2 Myths - Will it affect you?

If you live close to the route

You will suffer several years of disturbance and disruption during construction of the route. You will suffer the blight to the rural amenity and environment as huge swathes of countryside are blanketed in track and other infrastructure. You will suffer noise and vibration every 2-3 minutes on average for 16 hours a day. And for most of the route, you will be about an hour away from your nearest HS2 station. No intermediate stations between London and Birmingham are planned or being considered. You will suffer all of the disadvantages for no benefit.

If you live anywhere else

The areas shown (perhaps 15 million people) will have direct access to the high speed line and will clearly benefit from reductions in journey time. The cost for these lucky areas to get this benefit is £33bilion and the taxpayer will foot the bill.

So all the rest (45 million people) who are suffering the pain of public spending cuts for many years to come, they will get no direct benefit.

Furthermore, don't be fooled by the Government claims that there will be secondary benefits in drawing business development away from the SE to elsewhere in the UK. The report from Greengauge21 commissioned by the government dismisses that claim as well. London and the SE will still continue to be the highest growth areas in the UK even with HS2. Furthermore, the net growth rate for the country as a whole with HS2 will be unchanged.



> Click here to view further information on economic growth.