Alec was joined by Woodlesford residents to deliver the community’s HS2 route consultation response to Downing Street.
Alec has been working closely with local residents to campaign against route proposals that would see a new High Speed Rail line through Woodlesford and Swillington.
Alec said: “With all political parties supporting HS2 I have to be realistic and recognise that this project is going to happen whichever party is in Government. So it’s been my priority to work with residents and lobby for a quicker more sustainable route into Leeds; a route that follows existing blighted transport corridors and not one that destroys our community in Woodlesford.”
SOWHAT (Swillington, Oulton and Woodlesford HS2 Action Together) campaigners travelled to Westminster with Mr Shelbrooke to deliver their consultation response direct to Downing Street. Residents have been asked to submit responses to an official consultation which ends on 31st January 2014 and SOWHAT estimate that nearly a thousand responses have been collected locally.
SOWHAT member Martin Law said: “The proposed HS2 route is utterly inappropriate when there is a better option already on the table. Our local MP has been a huge support working and campaigning alongside us to get our response submitted”.
Delivering the community submission to Downing Street, Alec added: “I’m grateful to the Prime Minister for accepting our response; he has previously been keen to hear my concerns and to see that our views are taken seriously in the consultation”.
SOWHAT formed in January 2013 following the publication of proposed routes for HS2. The group have since hosted a number of visits organised by Alec including a field work tour of the route with directors and engineers from HS2 Ltd, the public-owned company tasked with delivering High Speed Rail to Leeds.
Residents can view plans and submit last minute consultation responses online at www.hs2.org.uk.
Read Alec’s consultation response here: Consultation Response to Phase 2 of HS2