Parliament comes to Aylesbury Vale as Government committee holds HS2 meeting in Quainton

Quainton Railway Centre hosts the HS2 Select Committee meeting

Parliament came to Aylesbury Vale last week, as the government’s Transport Select Committee held its six-monthly meeting in Quainton.

MP for Buckingham Greg Smith, who sits on the committee, joined his fellow members at the Quainton Railway Centre on Thursday, May 18, following a morning visit to Steeple Claydon, as part of the committee’s work holding HS2 to account.

The visit formed part of HS2 Ltd’s obligation to report back to the committee, chaired by neighbouring Milton Keynes MP Iain Stewart, on the state of the project, which remains significantly behind schedule with a cost that has ballooned to over £100 billion.

In the morning, Greg Smith and the committee met with local ward councillors, parish councillors, Bucks Council cabinet members and council leader Martin Tett to discuss the impact HS2 and other construction projects have had on local residents, businesses and the council itself.

They discussed the unacceptable state of local roads, the project’s impact on the local economy, and the financial burden it has placed on Bucks Council..

They then met local landowners and farmers complaining of poor treatment by HS2, who spoke of delayed payments for land, an overly bureaucratic process for claims, damage and careless behaviour by contractors.

The afternoon saw the committee’s formal evidence session take place at Bucks Railway Centre in Quainton, where Greg and the committee questioned Rail Minister Huw Merriman and the CEO of HS2 Ltd, Mark Thurston, on what they’d heard from councillors and landowners.

Committee members met local landowners and farmers complaining of poor treatment by HS2

Mr Smith said: “I’m grateful to everyone who gave up their time to speak with myself and the committee today. We heard from a range of local voices on what has become a cacophony of issues caused by HS2 and others operating in the area that have brought misery to everyone’s daily lives.

“It’s vital that those impacted by these megaprojects have not just their voices heard but have their issues dealt with properly and with urgency.”

“I will never give up fighting for my constituents over this ridiculous railway project that no-one wants and that we cannot afford. Bringing the Transport Select Committee here to Bucks forms part of that.”

Footage of the meeting can be viewed here.