6 MYTHS ABOUT HS2

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth – persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic” JFK, 1962

MYTH: HS2 is „green – it’s part of the low carbon economy.

UNTRUE: Even HS2 Ltd says it doesn’t reduce CO2 emissions, but is broadly neutral. 360 km/h trains use more than twice the power of 200 km/h trains.

MYTH: HS2 will deliver wider economic regional benefits.

UNTRUE: DfT/HS2 Ltd say there are benefits (worth £3.6bn), but this is mainly from additional local transport using freed-up existing capacity not faster connectivity.

MYTH: HS2 is a sound investment – over £2 benefit for £1 cost (NBR = 2.7)

UNTRUE: Commercially it loses money: it has £25.5bn of extra costs, but only £15bn of extra fares. The Net Benefit Ratio (NBR) depends on timesaving benefits that are greatly overestimated e.g. all time on trains is assumed to be wasted. The case is driven by huge (267%) projected increases in demand. The cost of damaging the environment and property blight on the route is excluded.

MYTH: Only HS2, i.e. a new railway, can solve the rail capacity problem.

UNTRUE: Extra capacity of 65% can be achieved with extra rolling stock on WCML and there is massive potential on the Chiltern line. These improvements come without disruption.

MYTH: HS2 will eliminate domestic air travel.

UNTRUE: To get enough modal shift from air (8% of HS2 journeys), HS2 Ltd assumes a 178% increase in domestic air travel by 2033 and a third runway at Heathrow. HS2 Ltd ignores the declining domestic air traffic for London.

MYTH: UK lacks a fast national railway network.

UNTRUE: UK – unlike Europe – has had one for a long time. UK has extensive fast inner-city services with routes capable of 200km/h (125mph).

COMMUNITY WALK

Our first Burton Green Community Walk, led by Marion and Dave Hawtin will be on

Sunday September 26th at 9.30am

The walk will begin in the car park at The Fleur de Lys pub, Lowsonford, B95 5HJ

(2.5m from Claverdon) and is a circular walk of approx. 4 miles.

Rating: EASY (sturdy boots/shoes as wet in parts) Dogs on leads!

The next Community Walk will be led by Sue and Nick - details in next issue.

BURTON GREEN MEMORY BOX

Please send any memories you have of Burton Green for possible inclusion in “Keep Burton Green”. There is a memory box in the village hall for your contributions; alternatively, you can phone on 02476 463844 or e-mail them to rpataylor@gmail.co.uk.

BURTON GREEN CHRISTMAS CARDS, GREETING CARDS AND NOTELETS

All cards have seasonal views of Burton Green. Packs of 10 cards cost £4.00. Christmas cards have seasonal greetings while Notelets are left blank. Cards can be personalised.

For details contact Deirdre Vernon on 024 7646 4188. Examples of these cards are on display in the Village Hall, or visit www.bgvh.org.uk/cardorders.html

Keep Burton Green banners are available at £41.13. View at www.jamesmobbs.com/files/burtongreen

Orders to Deirdre Vernon on 024 7646 4188.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday 20th September, 4th October HS2 Action Group Meetings – 7:30pm Village Hall

Saturday 25th September Family Barn Dance - 7:30pm Village Hall

Sunday 3rd October Community Harvest Festival, 11.0am, Village hall Collection to Keep Burton Green

Saturday 16th October Harvest Ball and Supper with Off the Cuff 7:30pm Village Hall

Saturday 27th November Charity Auction, Dinner, Disco and 200 Club Draw Lots include: A week in Crete, Water Colours by Stan Kaminski, and lots more.

BURTON GREEN FESTIVAL 4TH JULY

A village community rose up in protest against high speed rail plans which residents say threaten their way of life, as reported by Les Reid of the Coventry Telegraph.

Kenilworth Weekly News stated … “People say community spirit is gone but Burton Green has shown that it is very much alive. I think this kind of community event is really inspiring.”

YOU DECIDE?

2010 – 2015

HS2 COSTS for next 5 years @ £1.568bn

OR

63 SCHOOL REFURBISHMENTS @ £1.568bn

THANK YOU BURTON GREEN!

During the superb wine tasting evening, the first draw for the 200 Club took place:

Winners:

1. Derek Perry 297 Cromwell Lane - £156.00

2. P. Priest 291 Cromwell Lane - £78.00

3. John Fellows 329 Cromwell Lane - £46.00

4. Mervyn Harvey Birchwood Red Lane - £31.00

We have already attracted over 200 members – but there is still room for more!

Over £500 in subscriptions has been collected for the Residents Association, and we would like to thank you all for your support. Burton Green is a special community that does not roll over, whether it’s coalmines, telephone masts or HS2. But without our team who deliver newsletters and collect subscriptions, we could not do it – thank you.

Put 20th October in your diaries for the Strategic Spending Review –

Hopefully Mr Osborne will prove his financial acumen by cutting HS2.  

The City of Coventry Corps of Drums marching band preceded the community march against HS2 on July 4, bringing a vigour to the action day in a time-honoured way.

Newsletter issue 3, September 2010 page 2