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Today, the HS2 Action Alliance has submitted this advertisement:
At the latest meeting with HS2, we raised with them the recent confusions over the use of the fields by the cricket club and asked that they significantly improve their communications with the community.
HS2 has now advised us of some forthcoming work. Two sites off Harvil Road will be required for gas pipeline diversions. One site is before the railway bridge and the other after the bridge, close to the Dogs Trust. Initially the work will involve clearing the sites and then the contractors will move in and perform the work lasting to December 2018. Harvil Road has accident black spots and it may be necessary to have traffic signals at the access points to both sites.
On the day following the election, some HS2 notices appeared around some of Ickenham’s open spaces. They comprised several pages and it’s easy to see why some residents drew the wrong conclusions. Unfortunately, these wrong conclusions found their way onto Facebook and created a lot of heat and steam.
We thought it best to present some of the salient facts presented in the documents. If we learn more about HS2’s intentions we will let you know.
First of all, here’s the map of the (red-outlined) area debated on Facebook:
This area lies between Hoylake Cresent and the Chiltern Railway line.
Here is a snap of what HS2 intends to do here:
Since the Facebook alarm was about HS2 using the area “for storage of construction equipment for the building of HS2”, we think this paragraph (and the fact it’s a short-term survey) led to the misunderstanding.:
Apologies for the rubbish photographs. We thought it best to present the original documents rather than a transcript.
We were delighted to see so many members packed into the Village Hall for our AGM last Friday.
We were also pleased to welcome so many of our local councillors: Ray Puddifoot; David Simmonds; and John Hensley from Ickenham Ward, as well as Philip Corthorne and Brian Crowe from West Ruislip ward. We also welcomed our MP Nick Hurd and Squadron Leader James Tenniswood from RAF Northolt.
The formal business proceeded smoothly and the Committee members were duly re-elected for another year’s term of office plus the two co-opted members, Beryl Upton (HS2) and Simon Taylor (Traffic).
Ray Puddifoot spoke about the Council’s opposition to the third runway and its work to get agreement on traffic etc. from HS2.
Sqdr Ldr Tenniswood updated us on the planned improvements to the runway and arrester beds. He stressed the strategic importance of RAF Northolt. He also explained NORFEST and invited local organisations to take stands on the day.
Questions from the floor were mainly about HS2 and pollution. R Puddifoot stated that LBH would install monitors and keep a close eye on the results
The meeting closed with the traditional light refreshments. Our thanks to the ‘kitchen team’ led by Barbara Buckle and to Vic Silk and David John for keeping the drinks flowing.
Brunel University students, working with West London Film & Media CIC and Groundwork South, have put together a seven-minute video about the Colne Valley Park as it stands today, before it is cut through by the twin threats of HS2 and Heathrow’s third runway.
It’s a charming film of the pleasures on the doorstep of 10 million people. Perhaps it will inspire you to visit the attractions, support the cafés and other local businesses and perhaps get involved in some way with its associated charities.
More information here.
Our thanks to Twitter’s Mrs_AngryJones for the tip-off.
The House of Lords HS2 Select Committee is reporting in public today at 10am. (Committee Room 4 if you want to rush up there.)
Or you can watch it on parliament tv
The Chairman will announce the publication of the report and make a few, brief concluding remarks. The Committee will adjourn very shortly thereafter and the report will be made available on the Committee’s website.
This link takes you straight to the Ickenham bit.
You may have read in ‘Ickenham Calling …..’ that videos of the House of Lords Select Committee hearings are online. The two of most interest to Ickenham residents are on 21 Nov and 1 Dec.
Transcript of the first session
Transcript of the second session
If you believe that HS2 cannot meet its stated objective of delivering “..hugely enhanced capacity and connectivity between our major conurbations”, then please call on Government to commission an independent technical review of the project.
Details are here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171945
The broad brush is, “We call on HM Government to commission an independent technical review of every aspect of the HS2 scheme to determine how and why this failure has happened.”
The Ickenham Residents’ Association, along with other petitioners from Ickenham, will be presenting from 2 pm on Monday November 21 to the House of Lords HS2 Select Committee. We all would appreciate your support when we present. The public have access to the Select Committee Room 4 – please allow 30 -40 minutes to get through security and make you way through the myriad passages in the House – there are lots of people who will be happy to give you directions.
The Association with many more Ickenham petitioners presented to the House of Commons Select Committee in June 2015; at that time we were all requesting that the tunnel be extended beyond the Colne Valley thereby saving Ickenham and our surrounding areas. Although we believe this is still the best option the Secretary of State for Transport has confirmed that there will be no tunnel extension; this was on same day that the Secretary of State also advised that HS2 will not fund the relocation of HOAC.
The House of Commons Select Committee in their final report did state that we deserved special mitigation particularly regarding the traffic and dumping of spoil. There has been a working group between HS2, LBH and TfL which has determined that based upon a number of conditions – all of which are uncertain – there is scope for reducing HGV lorries and dumping of some spoil.
We however do not consider this is good enough; it still puts over 100,000 HGVs down Swakeleys Road during the construction period with horrendous emissions. We still have 3 major construction sites, road closures due to utility works and concrete factories sited on green belt. HS2 Ltd have held 2 events in Ickenham to put a positive spin on this but nearly all attendees advised us afterwards that they were dissatisfied with HS2 ‘s proposals.
The London Borough of Hillingdon will be presenting to the Select Committee on November 17. They will be raising similar issues and of course the situation with HOAC.
If you are interested in reading our HS2 petition to the House of Lords Select Committee, you’ll find it on pages 27-34 of this document. Others look out for are:
Document 1: Beryl Upton, and many others, pages 40-43; Eric Gustavson, pages 281-284
Document 2: The Drive/Uxbridge Golf Course, pages 66-74;
Document 3: Matt Semple, and many others, pages 19-21; Mary Cockerell, and many others, pages 42-48; Brian Cable, pages 54-60
Document 4: London Borough of Hillingdon, pages 384 to 389
Document 5: North Uxbridge Residents Association pages 74-75
All bar the LBH will appear on 21st November between 14:00 and 17:30
[Update: 10th November: Four more petitions have been squeezed into an already tight slot.]
LBH is scheduled for 17th November – time slot still unknown.
If you are willing and able, please attend these sessions. The more of us who turn up in support, the greater the influence on the Select Committee. Thank you.
Ickenham Residents' Association 