News

Disappointing result for wildlife as damaging high speed rail route gets go ahead

 

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust expresses disappointment as the first phase of High Speed 2 (HS2) is given the go-ahead by the Transport Secretary. Serious damage to wildlife and habitats is expected in Staffordshire as a result of the route’s construction.

The full extent of this damage has not been fully quantified yet, as an Environmental Assessment has not been carried out, but research by The Wildlife Trusts shows the route for HS2 phase one, to run from London to Birmingham, could threaten 160 wildlife sites. In Staffordshire, seven ancient woodlands and 10 Sites of Biological Importance are threatened.

Additional measures to reduce negative impacts, including tunnel construction, were announced by Justine Greening yesterday. However, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is concerned that these costly measures could reduce spending on essential environmental mitigation in Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s head of conservation, Sue Lawley, said: “The Transport Secretary says Government is committed to the ‘lowest feasible impact’ on wildlife. Yet the mitigation measures announced focus on the noise and visual impact of HS2. These measures will not necessarily prevent damage to fragile habitats – they could even make matters worse. It is vital that the impacts on wildlife are not overlooked yet again in this process.”

The Trust is also concerned that the next stage of the Government’s high speed rail plan outlined in yesterday’s announcement, which will run to Manchester and Leeds, is likely to destroy more precious greenbelt land in the county and sever streams, woodlands and other valuable wildlife habitats, making it even more damaging to Staffordshire than HS2.

The Trust is urging local people to sign an e-petition to stop HS2. The petition needs at least 100,000 signatures to force a parliamentary debate on the issue. Sign at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/353

Read more about Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s position on HS2 at www.wildlifetrusts.org/hs2.