Hundreds line up for huge HS2 rally
Hundreds of campaigners trying to stop HS2 tearing through the region will declare battle at a huge rally which could raise thousands of pounds for a fighting fund.
Action group Stop HS2 has chosen Staffordshire to be the epicentre of the fight due to the impact the proposed £33 billion rail line will have on the area.
Protesters will converge on the County Showground in Stafford on June 29, where they will discuss how to continue their battle.
News of the convention comes just two days before objectors take their fight to the Court of Appeal in a bid to overturn a ruling that effectively gave the go-ahead to the London-Birmingham section of the controversial railway.
Politicians, campaign groups and wildlife organisations including the Woodland Trust and RSPB will join the day of action.
Stop HS2 spokesman Joe Rukin said they were expecting a huge turnout at the showground, which itself could be sliced in half by the rail line.
"There are a lot of people out there who have had HS2 dumped on them and don't know what to do but they will if they come to the convention. It will only make the campaign against this insane white elephant vanity project even stronger," he said.
Workshops will be held on the impact of HS2, compensation and tips given on how to set up action groups. Tickets are £10 which organisers say will go towards the costs of the legal battle.
HS2 Ltd will not be attending, said spokesman Adam Joyce.
The route goes through Whittington, near Lichfield, Great Haywood and Ingestre. It will slash journey times between Birmingham and London but opponents say it will blight homes.
