United front from Camden's politicians on High Speed 2 link

Published: 30th June, 2011
by RICHARD OSLEY

POLITICIANS from all sides of the Town Hall have told the government to spike plans for the HS2 high-speed rail link to Birmingham that is threatening to change the face of the borough.

In a united statement, councillors from all four parties represented in Camden said on Monday evening: “We cannot agree the current proposals as the economic and environmental benefits are not credible. Councillors from all political parties stand united in their opposition to the HS2 proposal.”

The £32billion project will see estates demolished in Euston, hundreds of families moved from the Regent’s Park Estate and disruption along the route running through large parts of Camden.

“HS2 asks existing residential and business communities and environments to bear damage and loss which far outweigh any benefits produced,” added the statement, which was released during a photoshoot on the Town Hall steps. 

“The threat to our communities and the blight created by these proposals would last more than a decade and its construction as proposed would irreversibly change the character of west Euston and damage established Camden communities.”

It represents the strongest warning to the government so far from councillors that the link will not be tolerated in Camden. 

That said, some Conservative members were less gung-ho than others about signing the statement and divisions over campaign tactics remain in the Labour group. 

Just three hours before Monday’s photoshoot, senior Labour councillors Sue Vincent, Theo Blackwell, Sarah Hayward and council chief executive Moira Gibb were discussing compensation and mitigation for Camden in a private meeting with Sir Brian Briscoe, from the government-appointed company HS2.

Those tentative negotiations contrasted with the fighting talk later in the day about stopping the rail link altogether and forcing the government to abandon the scheme.

These behind-the-scenes developments are explained by some council insiders as stemming from a fear that the ­project is considered so strategic in the minds of the government that no amount of protesting will bring it to a halt.

Certainly Monday’s statement was released amid growing hints from senior government figures that they see little reason to apply the brakes. Prime Minister David Cameron marvelled about the use of high-speed rail in other countries at a conference in Birmingham on Tuesday. And over the weekend, Transport Minister Philip Hammond was interviewed in national newspapers explaining long-term leasing plans for the scheme – not the kind of press coverage for politicians planning a re-think. 

Even though consultation with local authorities is supposed to be ongoing, Mr Hammond also angered objectors by suggesting they were “Nimbys”, who he compared to Victorians who fought railways in the 19th century. 

The claim from some sceptics is that ministers will not budge despite cuts in other areas because they believe there are votes to be garnered in areas of the north that might benefit from faster journey times. Tories in areas affected by the scheme might think votes will go in another direction. 

On Monday, campaigners from the Pan Camden HS2 Alliance and the West Euston Partnership spoke in front of the full council meeting, reiterating the list of concerns over the project.

Peter Jones, from the Alliance, said: “HS2 monetises minutes. It gives no financial value to communities or landscape. 

“It will turn west Euston into a building site for at least 10 years.”

That work could begin sooner rather than later as Mr Hammond suggested last week that “complex engineering” on tunnels at the London end of the link would be the first phase of the job.

Jairo Jaramillo, another objector who spoke in front of the full council, warned that leaseholders on council estates facing demolition who would be “uprooted”.

“The plans overlook the large-scale destruction of an established community,” he said. “There are no effective plans to mitigate against this displacement.”