News
BREAKING NEWS WITHIN LAST MONTH
NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE RELEASES DAMNING REPORT ON HS2
BELOW - CHERYL GILLAN MP SETS OUT THE CASE AGAINST HS2 IN PARLIAMENT:
HS2 WILL DESTROY MORE JOBS THAN IT CREATES
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ON HS2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2013/may/02/hs2-routes-data-transparency
1,400 ATTEND EVER POPULAR PERIVALE WOOD OPEN DAYON SUNDAY 28TH APRIL TO VIEW THE ANCIENT WOOD'S FAMOUS BLUEBELLS
BELOW: North Ealing Against HS2 representatives handed out leaflets about the new tunnel decision, which will mean that Perivale Wood is very unlikely now to be impacted by HS2.
Following UKIP's successful results in the May 2013 local elections, leader Nigel Farage tells how UKIP opposed HS2 from day one:
HS1 PASSENGER FIGURES LOWER THAN FORECAST, NAO REPORTS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17525872
COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT:
HS2 WHITE ELEPHANT SET TO IMPACT ITS DISTANT COUSINS AT EAST MIDLANDS ZOO
DAMMING EXPOSÉ IN THE OBSERVER OF WESTBOURNE COMMUNICATIONS USING CLASS DIVIDE SCARE TACTICS TO PROMOTE CASE FOR HS2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/06/high-speed-rail-hs2-nimbys
'PEBBLEDASH PEOPLE WILL REBEL OVER HS2'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/31/hs2-pebbledash-rebel-high-speed-rail
IMPACT OF ADVERSE WEATHER ON HIGH SPEED RAIL
Heavy snow causes HSR train derailment in Northern Japan. Fortunately no one was hurt. Despite having a capacity of about 1,000 people the train was only carrying 130 people.
http://japandailypress.com/heavy-snow-causes-bullet-train-derailment-in-northern-japan-0424435
Many scientists claim that the intense cold spells currently being experienced in the Northern Hemisphere and in recent years have been caused by melting Arctic sea ice, which is affecting oceanic currents and the Jet Stream. They have warned that this will situation may exacerbate and lead to more extreme weather phenomena in the future. See for example this recent article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/25/frozen-spring-arctic-sea-ice-loss
As seen in Japan this is likely to adversely affect surface rail infrastructure.
THE OLD GUINESS BREWERY DURING ITS DEMOLITION IN 2005 - at its peak the most productive brewery in the world
EUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
Y-ROUTE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HS2 EXTENSION TO MANCHESTER AND LEEDS
FRONT PAGE OF THE INDEPENDENT, 28 JANUARY 2013
'THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE NORTH - ITS ABOUT LONDON'
'HS2 TO MAKE LONDON EVEN BIGGER' - LIGHT-HEARTED (BUT WITH A CORE BACKBONE OF TRUTH) TO PROVIDE SOME LIGHT RELIEF TO PEOPLE STRESSED OUT OVER HS2
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/hs2-to-make-london-even-bigger-2013012857772
'HS2 IS JUST ONE BIG PUNT' - GUARDIAN
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/28/hs2-rail-route-off-track
INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS SAYS HS2 IS BAD NEWS FOR THE ECONOMY
Telegraph coverage on HS2 tunnel under Ealing:
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OLDER NEWS
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
HS2 features among the top lies of 2012:
http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/2012-a-year-of-lying-shamelessly/12120
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From THE TIMES, December 19 2012
TRAINS LEAVING EUSTON ONLY 50% FULL AT PEAK TIMES
http://stophs2.org/news/7031-hs2-legal-challenge-day-1-trains-leaving-euston-52-full-peak
RELEVATION AT THE JUDICIAL REVIEW THAT TRAINS LEAVING EUSTON ARE ONLY 52% FULL
HARLESDON, WILLESDON AND EALING RESIDENTS TO BE LEFT WITH A DOUBLE WHAMMY
An HS2 depot and an incinerator!!
http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/harlesden_could_house_giant_incinerator_and_hs2_site_1_1733370
'SHOW US MORE RESPECT' SAYS EALING NORTH MP, STEVE POUND
NEAHS2 gives 20 minute presentation at the Northolt Corridor Community Forum on 28th November 2012, attended by Ealing North MP Steve Pound, on why tunneling HS2 under Ealing is better for local residents, businesses and the local environment AND better for HS2 Ltd!
COSTS OF TUNNELING HS2 UNDER EALING SAME AS SURFACE ROUTE
HS2 Ltd concedes that the cost of tunneling HS2 under Ealing is equivalent to taking a surface route. See coverage in the Ealing Gazette here:
ONLY 4% OF PEOPLE THINK HS2 WILL HELP BOOST THE ECONOMY
COMPENSATION COMPENSATION - POOR DEAL FOR LONDON
London Gets Poor Deal for HS2 Compensation - from the London Evening Standard
ABOVE: BBC News coverage on the compensation consultation announcement on 26th October 2012 showing Perivale.
12 HOUR PROTEST AT HANGER LANE AGAINST HS2 PLANS FOR EALING!
Coverage on BBC London News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19920593
Coverage in the Ealing Times:
http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/9983238.Hanger_Lane_12_hour_protest_against_HS2_bridge_plans/
Some of the Stop HS2 Demonstrators at Hanger Lane
BELOW: Stephen Pound, MP for Ealing North is interviewed (at 2min 10sec) calling for HS2 to be rerouted or tunneled the whole way under north west London.
PLEAS FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR GOVERNMENT NOT TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL NEXT TO ITS PLAYGROUND LOST IN COMPUTER BUNGLE, HS2 LTD ADMITS
http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2012/oct/hs2-bosses-lost-schools-file-objections
20 BRIDGES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF EALING TO ACCOMODATE AN OVERGROUND HS2 ROUTE, INCLUDING BOTH BRIDGES AT HANGAR LANE
See the BBC news coverage of this story on Monday 1st October, including interviews from Alex Nieora, NEAHS2 Chairman, Bassam Mahfouz from Ealing Council's cabinet, Boris Johnson and HS2 Ltd:
WCML FRANCHISE FALLOUT - IMPLICATIONS FOR HS2
BELOW Ex-minister and Chilterns MP Cheryl Gillan explains why the DfT's miscalculations and errors over passenger forecasting over the WCML in relation to Sir Richard Branson's challenge to the
government tendering process for the WCML franchise have serious implications for HS2.
HS2 TO CONSIDER TUNNELING HS2 UNDER NORTH EALING FOLLOWING PRESSURE FROM EALING COUNCIL, RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS:
http://www.ealing.gov.uk/news/article/446/hs2_tunnel_to_be_considered_for_ealing
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HS2 - CHINK OF HUMOUR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNb2oPGAGso
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International News
Protests in India over High Speed Rail soil tests:
Portugal - U turn on High Speed Rail
http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/high-speed-rail-u-turn/27691#.URUHq4BGtaI.twitter
National Geographic article on high speed rail in China:
'China Advances High-Speed Rail Among Safety, Corruption Concerns'
Coverage of Chinese High-Speed Rail crash and background in The New Yorker:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/22/121022fa_fact_osnos?currentPage=all
This is an account from regular user of high-speed trains in China received annonymously by NEAHS2:
'I travel regularly on Chinese high speed rail and always in carriages less then half full and nowhere near "high speed". And the cost is horrible. In all long distances
cases it's cheaper by plane. As you'll recall the Uk consultation (or sales brochure)
of this so called democracy of ours heralded China as living proof of success. In three separate places those who read the consultation were being mislead by
government. We'll never know how many people were so convinced by our government's propaganda they did not respond to the consultation. I have many links to send you that confirm the failing of
Chinese high speed rail but for now take a look at this short clip taken on disgruntled passenger's mobile phone. The TV presenter says that the emptiness of the Shanghai to Nanjing train is the
norm
for most high speed rail in China and that it is costing the tax payer dearly, whilst ticket prices are unaffordable to most. She also says that high speed rail operators count someone
joining a train for just part of the route as making a full journey for the entire route thus government claim well over 100% seat occupancy, whilst of
course ticket sales reflect different. Government cooking the books. Please feel free to forward this clip http://tv.sohu.com/20100802/n273935372.shtml to everyone with media connections, whilst stating that this clip today is as current today as
when it was filmed. But one thing: if this clip gets a lot of overseas hits the Chinese sensors block it for a while, but it then does come back again. Be patient.'
300 PEOPLE BRAVE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR TO ATTEND STOP HS2 NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN WESTMINSTER
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18856654
DAVID CAMERON's FATHER-IN-LAW ATTACKS HS2
David Cameron's Father-in-Law, Viscount Astor, attacks HS2 at Lords Dinner Debate:
http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2012-07-12/camerons-father-in-law-attacks-hs2/
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/26455/pms_father_in_law_attacks_lords_reform_train_crash.htm
http://news.uk.msn.com/pms-father-in-law-attacks-hs2-plan
FRANCE CUTS BACK ON TGV
France to cut back on 14 TGV (high speed rail) projects which would cost Euro 280 billion. Even the Lyon to Turin line is in doubt:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/11/france-trains-idUSL6E8IB4S520120711
BIRMINGHAM MPS ATTACK HS2
ENGINEERS SAY HS2 FIGURES ARE TOO OPTIMISTIC AND WILL COST MORE
WIDOW AND 7 CHILDREN LEFT HOMELESS BY HS2
LONDON ASSEMBLY TO INVESTIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF HS2
The London Assembly’s Health & Environment Committee have agreed to investigate the Environmental impact of HS2 this Autumn.
The Committee are prepared to undertake the task of looking at minimising the environmental impact of the route on those affected parts of London.
Unfortunately, the Mayor isn’t prepared to put his money where his mouth and lend his support to the London boroughs of Camden & Hillingdon in their legal challenges against the HS2:
http://blog.muradqureshi.com/hs2-judicial-challenge-not-supported-by-mayor/
12 YEAR OLD BOY DESIGNS STOP HS2 APP
Boy, aged 12, designs phone app to combat HS2!
DELIGHT FOR DENHAM AS HS2 SPUR TO BE TUNNELED UNDERGROUND
GOVERNMENT ON THE BRINK OF A BACK-TRACK
John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons:
"Meanwhile this week Commons Speaker and Vale MP John Bercow said he believes the government will do a U-turn on HS2 – whilst stressing that he had no evidence to back up the claim.
"He said: I’m not reconciled, I don’t accept that it’s inevitable.
“I still think it’s perfectly possibly, even at this stage, that the government might be persuaded to reconsider.
“From time to time governments do change tack. They tend to deny it until the last minute and then do it.”
The Spectator's view - government U-turn:
http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/politics/2012/june/tory-minister-hs2-is-effectively-dead
The Daily Mail - government running out of track:
NEAHS2 IN THE GUARDIAN!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jun/08/science-mps-in-trays?%2Fcat=science&type=article
Bias of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee exposed!
QUOTED FROM THE ARTICLE: 'While POST takes great pains to remain neutral, P&S meetings would seem to provide the perfect
forum for discussion. And yet April's P&S meeting on high-speed rail dodged opposition altogether.
When Miller moved to close the session and allow members to slip into the drinks reception, he was interrupted by a campaigner from
Ealing Against HS2, who protested against the meeting's "skewed" agenda. Miller managed to shout him down, and the drinks reception commenced – not before the activist had stormed out, overcoat
collar erect.
Malcolm thinks he can turn things around. "I do want to have different points of view," he says. As such, next week the committee will tackle animal research and include contributions from people who
are for, and people who are against, animal testing.'
LIES, LIES AND MORE GODAMN LIES
The Telegraph reveals that the HS2 business case was greatly exaggerated by the Department for Transport and a report that indicated otherwise was deliberately kept secret:
GOVERNMENT APPOINTS SEPTAGENARIAN TO CHAIR 20 YEAR LONG HS2 PROJECT
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News from the Neighbourhood
Stop HS2 posters have been put up around the community.
Have you spotted them?
STOP PRESS!
Valerie has written a piece on High Speed Rail in the latest edition of the local Neighbours' News magazine - at page 8:
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