The clock is already ticking on what could prove an acid test of the Government’s high profile commitment to streamlining of the planning system to promote economic growth and its rhetoric on localism.
Members of the House of Commons transport committee are expected to deliver their verdict on the controversial HS2 - a new high-speed rail line between London and the West Midlands - next month, with the formal hearings on their inquiry into the strategic business case for the route now closed.
The scheme has divided local authorities, MPs from all parties and business communities, with the 51m group of eighteen councils leading a national campaign to challenge the need for the £32billion scheme, while Go-HS2 alliance which includes Birmingham City Council, Centro, NEC Group, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham Airport is in favour of the proposals.
The 51m group claims that the scheme will cost £51m for every parliamentary constituency it passes through and its chairman, Cllr Martin Tett who is leader of Buckinghamshire CC, has criticised transport Secretary Philip Hammond’s comments that railways have become a ‘rich man’s toy’ in evidence to the transport elect committee at the close of the inquiry.
Asked whether HS2 could be made more affordable, Mr Hammond said: ‘Uncomfortable fact number one is that the railway is already relatively a rich man’s toy. People who use the railways on average have significantly higher income – simple fact.’
Cllr Tett said: ‘Mr Hammond's comments show there is a complete lack of reality as to what High Speed 2 is meant to be achieving. In the midst of aims about redressing economic imbalances we now we have a £32 billion rail service the majority of the public will never be able to afford to travel on.
‘Over a 60 year project life for HS2, these more affluent users will only pay 60% of the cost - the rest will be picked up by ordinary taxpayers, including those on middle and low incomes who are bearing the brunt of the current recession.’
The campaign against the rail link has attracted an unusual mix of supporters from Campaign to Protect Rural England and the National Trust to The Institute for Economic Affairs and from the Economist magazine to the Taxpayers Alliance.
Localism has emerged as one of the key areas of debate during the select committee hearings and planning minister Greg Clark has come under fire for ignoring the opinion of residents along the route.
Ralph Smyth, lead transport campaigner for CPRE told MPs: 'Mr Clark talked about improving policy by having involvement throughout the process. But we feel strongly that we haven't been involved throughout, which is why there has been the accusation of NIMBYism.'
Timing, as they say, is everything but despite the high profile opposition to the scheme there will be many who recall the decision by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles’ in June when he gave the go ahead to the disposal of low level nuclear waste at local landfill site Kings Cliffe in Northamptonshire despite overwhelming local opposition and just as the flagship Localism Bill has barely moved from the House of Commons through to the Lords.
