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Stop HS2: Have you got evidence?

Have you got evidence for our Judicial Review?

Taken from a newsletter from the Stop HS2 Campaign

After an eight-month wait, we finally have a date for the permissions hearing of our Judicial Review, a legal challenge against the decision by Government to issue HS2 with Notice to Proceed. Besides the fact that the criteria for issuing Notice to Proceed seem to have been completely ignored, the case is being brought on two main grounds: Fraud and Environment.

Joe has recorded a video message which you can view here

 

FRAUD

On the first score, we have been pointing out various things that have happened over the years which may well be considered as deception, misleading the public and parliament, concealing the truth and withholding payments from landowners. We believe that all of these things, could be considered to be fraud by abuse of position under the terms of the 2006 Fraud Act.

We’ve been putting together our evidence for a while, but we might have missed something. So if you are aware of something that is a bit more obscure but is in the public domain, please send a link to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We also really want to hear from you if you are a landowner and HS2 Ltd haven’t paid you, because if you believe they have caused you to endure a loss, then we believe again that this is fraud by abuse of position, which is one of the elements of our challenge. Again, the email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., but we need your information by Tuesday 9th March.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The other main ground for our challenge is the environmental impact of HS2. Sadly, HS2 Ltd and their contractors are allowed to carry out a massive amount of environmental destruction, as this was defined in the Act of Parliament that authorised the construction of the line. However, all of this destruction and the associated carbon emissions were supposed to be quantified in the Environmental Statement that accompanied the Act. The problem is that they are doing things which weren’t in the ES and have a definable environmental impact, and do nothing but damage the already shaky carbon credentials of the project.

So we want to know about things that are happening, or have happened, which were not covered in the Environmental Statement.

Looking at the maps, we want to know about construction compounds that were not meant to be there, or the removal of trees and hedges that were meant to survive. With regard to the ES reports, we want to know about road closures that weren’t in the ES or have taken longer than was promised, as well as the use of roads for construction vehicle routes that they said they wouldn’t use. There’s are also the issue of things like working out of hours or discharging into water courses without permission, but you have to be certain they didn’t have permission.

Basically we are looking for anything specified in the original assessments, that now hasn’t happened, where there is easy-to-demonstrate physical evidence, such as photos that you can provide. Also, if you were involved in petitioning during the parliamentary process and were promised something that hasn’t happened, we’d like to hear from you with any supporting documents. Again, the email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and again, we need it by 9th March.

For more details, and to review the original Environmental Statement report (just the traffic section) and the maps along with the subsequent Additional Provisions, visit http://stophs2.org/news/19432-judicial-review-evidence-links

Please note, we can’t promise to get back to you, because so much is coming in, and some things we won't be able to use. If we do get permission for a full Judicial Review, we’ll be asking again.

FUNDING

We’ve so busy that we haven’t even put together a specific funding page as of yet. We expect to have that done soon after the deadline for submitting evidence later this week. 

However you can still make a donation in all the old-fashioned ways via our website at http://stophs2.org/donate/, and of course please remember that if you send a cheque or pay directly into the bank account, there are no fees.

Remember to watch Joe's video message here.

As always, thanks for your support.

Joe & Penny.

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