Say No to HS2
The Greens support rail travel in principle because it should improve Britain’s transport system, reduce road and air traffic and help cut carbon emissions.
HS2, however, does too much damage to local communities and to the environment and it is too pricey. To achieve high speeds the trains are expected to use up to 50% more fuel than Eurostar so carbon emissions will not be reduced.
The enormous sums involved (estimated 100 billion and rising) could be better spent improving transport for everybody, not just the wealthy business people who will be able to afford to use HS2.
HS2 is not a green solution. That money needs to be spent instead on increasing rail capacity by adding more track to existing routes and by upgrading freight-only routes for passenger use too.
At the same time, we need wider-ranging policies designed to reduce the need for long-distance travel, while integrating local public transport systems (for example, as has actually happened to good effect in London over the last 15 years) and continuing to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
HS2 News
Biodiversity threatened in the Colne Valley
Hillingdon Green party really support the work of Hillingdon Friends of the Earth to protect biodiversity in the Colne Valley. Nature is disappearing faster than at any time in history, vote Green to save nature. See here for Hillindon Friends of the Earth’s letter published in the Hillingdon Herald about the relocation of HOAC to […]
Landfill and water pollution – What next?
Jess Lee candidate for Hillingdon and Ealing in London Mayoral elections May 2024 at Leaking Landfill Site in south Harefield We know that a major London landfill site at New Years Green in south Harefield has been polluting the chalk aquifer and drinking water source at the Ickenham pumping station since the 1990s. There is […]
Open Letter to MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Sarah Green has written an open letter to the new MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip Steven Tuckwell about the water quality for residents. Click here to see. […]
Read More… from Open Letter to MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Colne Valley water quality update – August 2023
In August 2023, HS2 continue with heavy engineering works across the Source Protection Zones in the Colne Valley (near Harefield) where public tap water is intended to be drawn. HS2 have now released their monthly water quality assessment reports for the Colne Valley for May 2022 to April 2023. These can be viewed below:- HS2 […]
Read More… from Colne Valley water quality update – August 2023
Sarah Green on Newsnight
Sarah Green was featured on a Newsnight item on the 21st June. You can watch her specific comments here. Or you can watch the whole program here where the Uxbridge by election section occurs starts at 36 minutes. […]
Boris Johnson reply and Sarah Green’s reply back
Boris Johnson replied back to Sarah Green’s letter of the 4th April on the 6th May, see here. In it he referenced to Joel Sykes the Senior Engagement and Interface lead of HS2, see here and here. Sarah has replied to this see here. […]
Read More… from Boris Johnson reply and Sarah Green’s reply back
Ongoing tunnel trouble
Hillingdon Green party distributed a leaflet in May 2023 on the ongoing tunnel issues with HS2 at Ruislip and other items. To download the leaflet please click here. […]
Open Letter to Boris Johnson
The following open letter from Sarah Green of Hillingdon Green party election candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip to Boris Johnson the sitting mp can be read here. […]
Sarah Green reports HS2 to the United Nations
The United Nations – Water Conference was held 22 to 24 March 2023. Sarah Green Hillingdon Green Party coordinator was honoured to give oral evidence to a side event Global Women and the Facets of Water. A global vision of water protection and sustainable water management is ratified by UK Government under the UN 2030 […]
Read More… from Sarah Green reports HS2 to the United Nations
Pause HS2 immediately
This motion calls for all HS2 operations around the Chiltern Aquifer to be paused. It came to light on 18th February 2023, tunnel operations in Ruislip were using chemicals which they themselves disallowed in tunnelling operations in the same aquifer just to the north, “because we would pollute the aquifer” (paragraph 10) Chemical foam erupted […]