The leader of Buckinghamshire Council has slammed HS2, accusing the company of failing to adequately compensate the county for the damage being caused to its roads.

Councillor Steven Broadbent described the payouts from HS2 for road repairs linked to the controversial rail project as “pitifully woeful.”

Saying it is nowhere near enough to address the impact of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements linked to the construction of the high-speed railway.

“It’s always worth reminding people that this council has been against HS2 from the outset,” said Councillor Broadbent.

Councillor Steven Broadbent speaking at a meeting about the issue. (Credit: Buckinghamshire Council)

placeholder image — Councillor Steven Broadbent speaking at a meeting about the issue. (Credit: Buckinghamshire Council)

“The impact their HGV movements have on our road network is substantial. I don’t feel like we’ve had the right level of recompense.”

Despite following HS2’s process for seeking claims, the council leader said the amount provided so far “does nothing to recognise the damage being caused.”

While additional claims have been made Councillor Broadbent warned the cost of not fixing the damage now will spiral even higher in the years to come.

“If they continue damaging it for another year, or two years or three years without fixing it, the cost later will just rack up,” he said.

In a wider update on both HS2 in a report, Councillor Broadbent revealed that disruption across Buckinghamshire remains “ongoing” and warned of further road closures and traffic chaos to come.

“The impacts, such as traffic management and road closures, continue to cause disruption to our residents, communities and businesses,” he added.

“We’re in another peak year for construction, and while we continue to work closely with HS2 and their contractors, the burden is still falling on local people.”

Major activity is expected in the coming months in the Calvert, Quainton and Small Dean areas, with long-term closures planned for Rocky Lane and Leather Lane to facilitate bridge construction.

The council says it has worked hard to promote measures to ease the burden — including the introduction of a free bus service on the A418.

“We will continue to challenge HS2 Ltd and East West Rail to minimise disruption and seek appropriate levels of funding for the damage being caused.

“The impact on our infrastructure cannot be ignored,” Councillor Broadbent concluded.

This isn’t the first time the authority has publicly criticised HS2. Last year, council officials slammed the company for not pledging enough money to help repair roads hit hardest by the project.

At the time HS2 claimed it had completed ‘comprehensive’ surveys before construction and was working to reduce disruption during the construction of the new line.

A spokesperson said: “This includes creating our own temporary internal access roads to get heavy vehicles onto site, and using freight trains to deliver materials, which helps to take lorries off local roads.”