HS2: discontent in Kilburn

Charlie Kiss attended the High Speed Rail 2 Forum in Kilburn

This event was advertised as a forum, but it wasn’t long into the meeting at Swiss Cottage Library that I felt that these ‘forums’ were meant to calm and reassure all the angry and ignored residents affected by this massive steam rollered project rather than a sharing of ideas and information. It certainly wasn’t a consultation which many residents felt it should be. Resident’s questions were unanswerable in effect because many were entirely logical.

At the event, I was taken aback at the 90:10 ratio of male to female and thought that this was really strange, as if only rail enthusiasts had known of the forum. I wasn’t that far off. Some councillors said they had not been invited and found out about through word of mouth.

There were many residents from Kilburn which were not represented, (despite being directly next to or over the planned tunnels): There was not one rep present from Rowley way, Abbey Estate, Mortimer Estate or Goldsmiths Estate. It transpired later when it was agreed at the meeting that we did not agree ‘the terms of reference’ of the meeting that it was actually deliberate to restrict the numbers of those present to ‘manageable numbers’ which is worrying as residents at the very least should be told what is happening. The Forums are actually ‘ by invite’ only!

Of the councillors there, there were perhaps unsurprisingly no Conservative councillors present, (though one turned up right at the end).

Lack of consultation

I found it fascinating that there was such disbelief and anger in the lack of consultation and errors discovered. This high speed rail project after all has been decided on and will be pushed through like all the rest of their opposed legislation by the least listening Government in living memory.

But who had to take the flack from all the residents? Not the politicians that’s for sure, not the business plan proponents from the set up company, HS2 either. No the engineers had to. This was pointed out as inappropriate and I saw it as deliberate evasion.

The Lib Dem candidate for the local by-election in Camden Town/Primrose Hill ward said enthusiastically that we would discuss things and be able to make decisions! But he hadn’t read the brief:

‘The forums are not decision making bodies but they will make recommendations that HS2 Ltd can explore and assess’.

Common sense from residents

There was a reasonable degree of technical knowledge in the room (from residents. I mean) but also a big dose of common sense. All of us wanted to know why the railway tunnels, if they were going so deep, couldn’t go under the existing West Coast Main line?

The stock answer was that the existing line was not curved appropriately and would slow the train down. Many in the room countered that as the train would have to stop at the Oak Common interchange anyway so there wasn’t enough distance to build up speed in the first place as it has to stop so quickly. The difference in speed would be literally a few seconds.There was no answer to this.

But my question is that, if speed is the ultimate goal as HS2 keeps saying, then why follow close to the existing rail lines at all? Why not go in a straight line directly under Regents Park? The answer would lie in the fact that the Government would have to pay a lot more compensation towards those wealthy residents in St John’s Wood after Regent’s parkl. Council estates instead, of course are the ideal low cost disruption for businesses. The large number of Euston council tenants who will lose their homes entirely will be well aware of that.

There were questions about the intervention shafts? Why could they not be moved? Were they necessary? And in that number?(given that they were not available under the channel). The answer to this was that the fire service insisted on these every 2Km or so and that HS2 would not have a third ‘rescue’ tunnel like the Channel tunnel.

And why doesn’t the line end at Oak Common? Why should the Euston and Kings Cross area be made any more crowded?

Other worries about the thoroughness of the plans included errors by HS2 on the listed buildings. Some had been listed as the wrong grade. Tenants reps from tower blocks expressed worries about the possible structural damage to the building having a rail tunnel underneath.

People asked about the environmental impact assessment which hadn’t started. Were they going to take into consideration the possibility of moving equipment and earth removed by rail? Lots of people reported the difficulty and impossibility of obtaining information from HS2. One engineer admitted he didn’t answer emails…

After two hours of many people letting the steam off, venting, I felt that the meeting had served its purpose. There is another forum for this section of the HS2, planned in two months time supposedly to report back on our queries. You’ll have to forgive my cynicism but having seen the Welfare bill and the NHS bill get pushed through despite overwhelming and massive opposition, we’d probably be better off getting answers to our emails if we took obstructive action.

The forums at least bring people together in joint opposition. I have yet to actually meet a Camden resident who isn’t being paid to say that they agree with HS2. And even if they did exist, a few minutes in these forums will soon change their minds as the absurdity and carelessness of the billion pound bulldozer project is soon obvious.

I wonder if the outrage is sufficient to actually take this on? It might be. But then the compensation sweetener may take the bite out of opposition. Such a shame that the HS2 is being forced though by the politicians because this country is actually crying out for railway investment to increase capacity not a fast train exclusively for those on £70K+ per annum.

Details of Forums here: http://www.hs2.org.uk/assets/x/84766