Our MP, Nus Ghani, is Minister for HS2, the high speed rail link to the north of England. Its route runs through Whitmore Wood in Staffordshire and will destroy over 6 hectares of ancient woodland.
The Woodland Trust is campaigning for a tunnel to avoid this desecration, but although a tunnel would cost a fraction of the overall cost of HS2, the Select Committee has rejected it. They're prioritisng commercial interests over the environment yet again.
As Nus Ghani's constituents, we're in a great position to petition her to stop this appalling vandalism.
Please sign the Woodland Trust's petition here AND write to Nus Ghani.
Background to HS2 woodland campaign
Despite HS2 coming nowhere near the Wealden constituency our MP, Nus Ghani, is the HS2 minister! As the MP for an area that benefits from so much important natural habitat, we might hope that she will be a champion of environmental protection in her ministerial role. Now is her chance...
The Green Party has consistently highlighted the folly of spending more than £50B on one railway line, when there are so many other infrastructure projects that would provide greater benefit to more of the UK. Also, an enormous amount of environmental damage will be caused during HS2's construction, in particular to the numerous Ancient Woodlands along the route.
The Woodland Trust is currently calling on Nus to use her influence as HS2 minister to ensure a tunnel is constructed in Staffordshire to protect 6 hectares of woodland at Whitmore Wood and Barhill Wood. The cost of the tunnel is just 0.2% of the cost of the whole HS2 project, but the HS2 select parliamentary committee rejected the request to tell HS2 Ltd. that the tunnel must be built.
In total, 98 ancient woods are threatened by the scheme.
