Aylesbury MP backs cancellation of HS2 Phase 2 and calls for more Bucks transport upgrades

Aylesbury’s MP has backed the Government’s decision to scrap Phase 2 of the HS2 project.

Rob Butler released a statement this afternoon (4 October) backing the decision to terminate the high speed rail project north of Birmingham.

However, the Bucks-based MP has called the news “bittersweet” given that the project is still going ahead between Birmingham and London.

He said: “I’ve opposed HS2 for years, stating from the very beginning of my election campaign that we didn’t need this railway. It made no sense economically and it made no sense environmentally.

"It’s right that at last this project has been scrapped, but it is a bittersweet moment here in Bucks, because for us, the damage has already been done. The construction of the line between London and Birmingham is unfortunately still going ahead, causing massive disruption to our day-to-day lives, and wreaking destruction across our landscape.”

To counteract the effect of its construction work, which has covered Areas of Natural Beauty in Bucks, the rail project has planted thousands of trees in the UK, and used green tunnels in attempts to lower the environmental impact of the new trains.

However, environmental campaigners have accused the project of greenwashing, and in some cases disrupted construction.

Mr Butler continued: “There’s absolutely no benefit for local residents; there never has been, there never will be. I’ll be calling on the Government to devote some of the savings from scrapping Phase 2 of HS2 into improving transport here in the Aylesbury area, because it’s fundamentally wrong for local people to be forced to continue to suffer for a project they knew was a white elephant all along.”

Alongside green projects, the rail project has set up a road safety fund, to improve damaged roads in Bucks. However roadworks and construction vehicles have impacted traffic flow in Bucks, as rail lines have been built in the area, for trains which will not stop in Aylesbury Vale.

Aylesbury’s MP has campaigned for the Bucks town to be included in the East West Rail project, urging the Government to include an Aylesbury spur, linking the area to Milton Keynes.

Latest plans did not include the Aylesbury spur, whilst its construction has not been categorically ruled out.