Objectors to HS2 to argue for the right to state their case

Some 1,925 people and organisations have submitted petitions in the House of Commons objecting to the £50 billion high speed rail project.

Everyone who has submitted a petition and deemed 'directly affected' should have the right to go and raise their concerns before a committee of MPs.

But HS2 Ltd, the government-backed company behind the plans, is being given the chance to challenge some of those over their right to speak during the four days of hearings.

Among the objectors are West Midlands Fire Service, which is concerned about the impact of the line on its £20 million headquarters in Birmingham.

Whittington Golf Club in Lichfield, also submitted a petition after it emerged the line would run straight through its course, and the Church of England objected and warned plans for constructing the line mean human remains will not be treated 'in a decent and reverent manner'.

Hs2 says it is expecting to write to everyone who they plan to challenge their right to speak before the end of next week.

Apart from these challenges, petitioners should have four weeks notice of being called to appear before the committee.

While the committee will not meet outside of London, they will conduct site visits, which petitioners can attend, starting with Birmingham and Lichfield on July 15.

The committee, which will meet three days a week, will hear petitions on a geographical basis, going from the north to south.

Although the committee decided not to hear national issues first, they have agreed to hear from a noise expert from the HS2 action groups early into the process, after they visit a sound laboratory.

Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin said: "The people who have submitted almost 2,000 petitions against HS2 now know what is coming.

"We welcome the chance to put our case to the committee, as no-one has been listening for the last four years, and we are certain that they will, and they will be shocked by how badly HS2 has been planned.

"We are surprised that HS2 Ltd have decided to schedule 22 hours for challenge the right of people to be heard. We would think that as are such widespread powers in the Bill, even people on phase two of the route can easily say they are affected, so it will be interesting to see what they come up with, but we are ready for the challenge."

Also in July there will be a second session of four days of hearings concerning the petitions of Birmingham City Council and Centro, which are both supporters of HS2.

The committee will start going through the petitions in September.