Agenda to undermine your rights?

Published: 1 July, 2010

• CONCERNING the HS2 under Primrose Hill, those who claim that local residents would be unable to hear trains running at 100mph-plus just 20 metres below their homes (Doubt over ‘noiseless’ high-speed rail, June 24) are talking nonsense. 

I’m not really sure what the figure “2” in their name stands for but I would suggest that the “HS” means “hopelessly stupid”. 

They refer to the “modern design developed for HS1” but I have had over three years right next to the route of the HS1 London Tunnel at almost twice the depth they propose for the new line and trains running a good 10 to 20mph slower at the point they pass my home. 

The vibration and ground-borne noise here is very intrusive. 

Also, they claim HS2 will be similar to the design and construction used for HS1 (and, although they don’t mention it, the Heathrow Express link). 

They both employed the Austrian tunnelling method, which is unsuitable for London’s clay.

Indeed, there was a major collapse directly attributable to the tunneling method during the construction of the Heathrow line.

The spokeswoman for HS2 makes the remarkable admission that “…as no decision has been taken on the route, we have not done any site-specific noise measurements”. 

That being the case, how can they possibly reassure residents about noise or the risk of heavy subsidence making their homes unsafe, not to mention the major negative impact on values? 

My advice to the residents of Primrose Hill is don’t believe a word of what they tell you. 

They have their agenda, which includes keeping the costs down as much as possible. 

What evidence is there that they will give two hoots if the cost  and inconvenience is transferred to others?

Don’t let them undermine your rights – quite literally!

PETER HUNTER
Mildmay Grove North, N1