The firm behind the £56 billion plan to build a new high-speed rail line which would go through Measham is inviting the public to an open forum event to give their views on the controversial scheme.
High Speed 2 Ltd (HS2 Ltd) is the company behind the rail plan which would connect cities from London to Birmingham, and Manchester and Leeds. It has organised a series of forums, including one in Measham on Wednesday, September 13.
It is inviting the public to have their say on the high speed rail plan, which would see trains operating at speeds of up to 250mph - faster than any current operating speed in Europe. They would run as often as 14 times per hour in each direction.
Phase one of the project would see the rail line created between London and the West Midlands. Phase two would see it run from the West Midlands to Leeds, including through 33 miles of Staffordshire and parts of North West Leicestershire, including Measham.
The controversial plans have been met with anger by some in Measham, with the proposed route set to scupper £40 million canal-side development in the North West Leicestershire village.
The rail route would also cut through Measham Wharf on the Ashby Canal. The development is set to include shops, offices and bistros on the currently disused site, just off the High Street of the former mining village.
The route would also cut through a new housing development Measham Waterside where 450 homes are due to be built off Burton Road in Measham.
HS2 is to stage information events throughout the East Midlands to try to collate the opinions f those affected by the scheme. The Measham one will be held at the Measham Leisure Centre, in High Street, between 2pm and 8pm on Wednesday, September 13.
Leonie Dubois, the head of consultation and engagement for phase 2b of HS2 planning at the firm said it was eager to gather as many views and opinions of the people who will be affected by the routes as possible.
She said: "HS2 is Europe’s largest infrastructure project, delivering major benefits to the East Midlands. It will transform rail travel between the Midlands and the north, as well as to the south, boosting capacity, improving connectivity and helping to rebalance the national economy.
"We want to involve the public as we deliver it, so we are holding 28 public events for people to find out about HS2 and what the next steps are now that the government has confirmed the phase 2b route. I’d encourage anyone who would like to know what happens now on HS2 to come along.
"Around 20,000 people attended the last events we held along the length of the route, so we know the public really values the opportunity to come and talk with us."
Throughout the next two years, the design of the route will be fully planned in detail to assess it’s environmental impact.
What we know so far about HS2
The news lines between London and the West Midlands will carry 400 metre-long trains travelling up to 250 miles per hour. These will facilitate for around 1,100 passengers per train along the line.
The route would then split off from Birmingham, heading to either Manchester or Leeds.
When will it be finished?
The first phase should be completed by December 2026, allowing for the high speed trains to travel between the capital and Birmingham, where commuters will have to transition to existing services.
The lines then running to Manchester and Leeds, the second phase of the project, should then be finished and operating by the year 2033.
How much will this cost commuters?
No exact fares have been written in stone as yet. However, the Government has said that its proposals "assume a fares structure in line with that of the existing railway."
Therefore, a similar fare should be expected as what you would currently spend on a ticket for the same routes.
