HS2 RAIL LINK
HS2 RAIL LINK THORPE MANDEVILLE TODAY
Lower Thorpe Mandeville nestles in a valley about 500 metres from the main village. The proposed HS2 high speed rail link will cross the lane on a viaduct with the loss of all five houses. The environmental destruction will be devastating to this peaceful setting, the wider parish and more generally, South Northamptonshire. Leaving our parish to the west, the HS2 route immediately crosses the site of the Battle of Edgcote at Danes Moor. A tunnel will emerge east of our parish.
A map of the proposed route through Lower Thorpe is on the next page of this website.
The proposals have led parishioners to examine the economic and environmental justification for the rail link, raising substantial concerns. The issues are detailed on the STOP HS2 website together with maps of the route. If you share these concerns please consider supporting the campaigns: www.hs2actionalliance.org and www.stopHS2.org and the local action group: www.snag-against-hs2.org
The noise: A Sunday Times article promoting the then transport secretary, Philip Hammond’s HS2 roadshow proclaimed “the trains will be almost silent from a kilometre away”! (So that means...) What will the noise be like? Click here for a video of a TGV travelling at nearly 300kph on the Tours line in 2010. The bird twitter at the end was about 10 metres away; the TGV over 250 metres away. (Video courtesy of VoxOpp: “Villages of Oxfordshire Opposing HS2”)
Promoting the campaign at The Three Conies, 2010
THE BACKGROUND POSITION....
HS2 UPDATES SPECIFIC TO THORPE MANDEVILLE: (last updated 21 May)
Thorpe Council was represented at the first Community Forum meeting set up by HS2 Limited for our section of the route. Click here for a report of the meeting. The second forum is scheduled for 19 June. The forum will consider concerns of all the parishes. An initial draft of concerns relevant to Thorpe was prepared in readiness for the first forum meeting. Click here for the latest listing. Please advise Tania Parsons if there are further concerns. The schedule of concerns will of course alter when more information is received. A meeting has been held with representatives of Culworth and Sulgrave to discuss mutual concerns and tactics at the Community Forum. It is intended to work closely with these parishes. Click here for a link to HS2’s Community Forum website information.
Representatives from Thorpe Parish Council attended the SNC’s HS2 meeting for parishes on 19 March. Updates were received and tactics discussed on issues such as mitigation of blight. We understand that photo-montages will be prepared of the route through South Northants.
Following on from Thorpe Council’s open meeting on 12 March an independent village working group is being formed, led by Tania Parsons. If you would like to be involved, please let Tania know. It is vital that the group has as much input as possible from the village.
Tania Parsons is Thorpe Mandeville Parish Council’s lead councillor on HS2 issues and she has formed an independent working group for the parish. Tania issues periodic email updates giving the latest HS2 news for Thorpe Mandeville. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to receive future updates or more information, please contact Tania: Click here.
Promoting the campaign at The Three Conies
