HS2 group says link route will go ahead

Residents living between Lichfield and Rugeley had hoped a nine-mile link through Handsacre would be thrown out by HS2 boss Sir David Higgins in his new report later this month after he suggested it could be scrapped to speed up construction of the £50 billion line.

If the link was axed it means Stafford will lose its planned high speed service but will save 2.6 miles of Staffordshire countryside.

But campaigners from Stop HS2 say they have been told by an agent involved in the application that it will now stay in the proposals, to the delight of council chiefs in Stafford who say it will provide a huge boost to the area.

See also: HS2 college to be based partly in West Midlands.

Under the plans, high speed trains will come off at Lichfield and pass through Stafford Station on existing lines when the first phase is complete.

However once the second phase is finished the majority of high speed trains will not use the link to Stafford with only an hourly service between the county town and London joining up with the HS2 line at Lichfield before it goes on the Handsacre.

Do you think HS2 is a good idea, or would you rather see the money invested in the existing rail network? Leave your thoughts below.

Stafford Borough Council leader Mike Heenan said without the link Stafford would be 'cut off' from HS2. He added: "Although we are not convinced there is a case for HS2 as a whole, we want the Handsacre link because it gives some prominence to Stafford. Otherwise the town would have been bypassed by the whole system.

"This will make Stafford the next stop linking to HS2 and would be a boost if the whole project is going to go ahead. Though we are still committed to fighting for compensation for residents and reducing the impact on them."

See also: Director joins HS2 - on £400k.

Campaigners say the Handsacre link is not needed as HS2 would already join up with the West Coast Mainline in Crewe.

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant had called for the link to be removed from plans amid fears it would ruin countryside and see house prices plummet.

Stop HS2 Campaign Manager Joe Rukin said: "HS2 was simply not designed properly from the outset, because HS2 was never thought through properly.

"David Higgins may want to tinker round the edges to try and make it not such a stupid idea, but whatever he does HS2 will still be a stupid idea, unjustifiable, unable to deliver on its' promises and utterly incapable of coming in anywhere near budget. ."

A HS2 spokesman would not confirm that the link was being retained and said: "Full details will be given later this month." Sir David Higgins will present his report on October 27.