Church joins in the battle against HS2

The Archbishops' Council, which is led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, says there must be changes to give greater protection to remains which have to be exhumed along the route.

In a 'humble petition' to the House of Commons, the Council says that works authorised by the Bill to bring in the project will involve the destruction of three burial grounds consecrated for the burial of the dead in accordance with the rites of the Church of England and the removal of human remains and monuments from them.

• Poll: Is the Church of England right to get involved in the HS2 debate?

Provisions in the Bill do not do enough to ensure that during and after the removal of remains they are treated in a decent and reverent manner or that they are subsequently reinterred in consecrated land, the petition says.

Nor do the provisions make adequate provision to ensure that any monuments that are removed are disposed of in a suitable manner, it adds.

And it concludes: "Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your Honourable House that the Bill may not be allowed to pass into law as it now stands."

It was revealed last week that almost 2,000 petitions have now been sent to the Government opposing HS2, putting a 2017 start date in jeopardy.

Councils, businesses, charities, special interest groups and individuals have submitted the documents which make the case for a string of changes to the £50 billion scheme.

In total, 1,925 petitions have been received by the House of Commons with campaigners saying it will take at least two years for MPs on the HS2 Select Committee to examine the detail alone before Parliament has to vote on the project again.

Other high-profile petitioners include Earl Spencer, brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and Lord Rothschild, who both own land along the route. Others include Nicholas and Alice van Cutsem, close friends of the Duke of Cambridge, and Lord Richard Wellesley, a descendant of the Duke of Wellington.

They have complained that the link will cut through their estates,cause noise and damage areas of outstanding natural beauty.

HS2 is set to cut a 45-mile swathe through the Staffordshire countryside.

Phase one of HS2 from London to the Midlands will go through the city of Lichfield and surrounding villages. Phase two goes through Stafford and surrounding villages.