My first problem came when I eventually managed to get someone from the 'No to HS2' group to talk to me about the issue, something that came about because they were dropping off petition forms not because of the five unanswered electronically generated message or two emails sent to one of the organisers or the two answerphone messages I left! I told them what I wanted to do, and why, and was basically told that they didn't need that, they were doing their own meetings! Hey ho - so now if your read my other HS2 post you will know why the meeting never happened.!
Better still, this concerned citizen basically put forward the views that it wouldn't have been so bad if the route had gone through Tamworth as it wouldn't make any difference to them but her pretty little place of residence would be subject to discomfort and five years of traffic and works!
Wow! Let's forget the financial benefits, the impact of the project on the natural, agricultural or community life in general, this was all about her and her pretty little cottage and the (rather well-heeled it seemed) community and, it appeared, that all would be well if it was placed nearer 'those people'!
So sadly the meeting never took place and I felt sad that regardless of how it might be masked, my only contact with the opposition had been some BMW driving, 'Let them eat cake' bimbag! (Thanks to Julie who many years ago told me that she and the other's in her group came in Bimbette, Bimbo and Bimbag - something that every time I think of it makes me smile :) ).
Better still, today all I have heard is many Conservative supporters burbling on about how they have withheld party funds, will not vote for Conservatives next time and many other mutterings and threats that make me think that come the next election (will the other brother be leading them by then having have the less adequate one keep the seat warm for him during the coalition days) Labour could win because of the 'make the Conservatives pay'brigade.
Seems that London will benefit from HS2 and that joining the North and the South might be a reality for the privileged few, but the rest will merely watch as a blur carrying the privileged passes them by - seems this is the reality for many and will never change (unless we start doing Gospel stuff of course for there is a spiritual side to this too).
Politics and the self-righteous, the self-serving and the plebs. Interesting stuff or what?
So the question, "HS2 - NIMBYism or Political Suicide?" I think it might just be both (now what of the price our natural world will pay?
Pax
6 comments:
Hey Vic,
Having lived in the Chilterns for a great chunk of my life, and walked them for solace and pleasure, I want to do a little Nimby defending. Yes, there is the 'don't lower the value of my house' brigade, but there is also a more benevolent Nimbyism - local affection and love for a rural environment which is all too quickly passing away. The environmentalist Wendell Berry once argued that affection for one's local place is what, in the end, might save this world. I don't think he is too far wrong.
There is also the argument, of course, that a much cheaper upgrade of the current lines and the lengthening of trains would accomplish much the same as the HS2 plans in terms of expanding capacity.
Brett
I'm lucky that although I live in Aylesbury, I do not live directly in the path of the proposed HS2 route.
My argument against it is that the benefits (undoubted), are for only 1 or 2 places in the UK, and the damage is to far more people and their homes leisure venues, surroundings than will benefit.
Many of those whose homes will be lost have worked all their lives, or are still working to pay off the right to live where they chose.
They apparently will be left with just one right, the right to pay through the nose for the privileges of a few groups in other parts of the country.
Many people who know much more than I do about the cost ultimately of this ill-thought out and ill-timed project feel that it will be out of date before it is completed.
There has to be as better way.
I've tried hard to keep my views aside from this as I was trying to be a facilitator not a campaigner, but . . .
Having done a lot of my growing up on the borders of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire I am really rather sad to see this happen, especially as personally I think there are many other ways of making the rail system more effective / efficient / desirable.
The impact upon the flora and fauna, the environmental considerations and everything else have been pushed aside with the claim that it will create jobs. Temporary jobs (or is Scandinavia on the cards too?) and knowing how things work the companies that end up with the contracts will probably be French and German (insult and injury!).
The fact that this feels like it was a done deal from day one (makes a mockery of expensive consultations and enquiries) and that Labour are also in favour (so who can we elect now, they're all complicit and guilty?) just makes the blue-rinse NIMBYs all the more ridiculous.
There is a place for NIMBYs because we need to consider the people who will be affected (as Ray rightly says regarding homes - same up here with people I know) but there has to be differentiation between self and selfish too!
Mind you, I'm still not in favour (there, I've said it!)
V
Apparently there is a high speed link from Doncaster; according to one radio debate today (I know, one is a small sample!) the economic arguments for HS2 seem not be borne out by evidence from existing implementations. (Waves to Brett via Vic and thinks, "small world")
I'm in two minds. Like several of those who have commented, I grew up in the amazingly beautiful Oxford and surrounding area - and would be sad to see it disappear. However, just how much would? Nature is an amazing thing - there is a place near Cardiff - where I now live - which was home to a colliery less than 100 years ago, but is now home to woodland and rare plants!!
People have suggested upgrading the existing tracks - but would that actually help? Remember that bends and bridges were designed and built to take a certain amount of weight/speed, so wouldn't there have to be a lot of construction work rebuilding bridges, flattening curves, etc; and does the current line of the route actually best serve the industries and communities it could?
I understand the problems of farms being ripped in twain, with the farmhouse on one side of the tracks and their fields the other - but bridges and culverts are easily added to the design to minimise this.
Finally, many NIMBYites seem concerned by the noise. What noise!! Yes, the time of construction will be, but they seem happy for others to suffer it whilst the existing route is upgraded - and once completed, the noise is minimal yet reassuring (I live 50 yards from a major railway line, and trains carrying coal for a local power station trundle through every night. The only time we notice them is when they don't run!!
Funny that, we lived on the end of 28L at Heathrow (had to move, Geordie wife kept throwing bread at the aircraft) - noticed whenever the aircraft stopped rather than when they flew!
On the nature bit - when we did the new road connecting M4 to M40 (over the Thames by NSBAC) they put in badger runs and did loads for the animal kingdom with the result that things were more natural afterwards.
V
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