The Secretary of State for Transport on 24 January 2022 deposited in Parliament the Hybrid Bill for the construction of HS2B – from Crewe to Manchester. The various Bill and plan documents have been supplied to the Council. These plans contain some amendments resulting from the previous consultation processes, but do not meet Council’s detailed objections in full, and obviously do not respond to Council’s overriding objection to the project as a whole.
The Parish Council submitted its objections to the scheme both in principle and in its details – that is in relation to the first two of the opportunities just described, and has submitted a petition of objection to Parliament.
Representatives of the Parish Council are able to appear before Parliament’s HS2B Select Committee to explain the Council’s objections to the scheme, although it will not be possible to question the principle of the scheme – only the detail. This session is likely to take place later in Spring 2023.
The Parish Council has prepared a working summary of the detailed impacts of the scheme. These can be found on this website under HS2 Documents, or by using this link.
The following YouTube link brings up a ‘video’ of the HS2 route from Crewe through to Manchester.
Aerial video of the proposed route of HS2 between Crewe and Manchester – YouTube
As the shot passes through Pickmere (after about 5 minutes) you will see the enormous proposed Smokers Brook viaduct, across Linnards Lane and the Brook, and then the next key landmark is the Radio Telescope on Milley Lane.
Please bear in mind that this is a representation of the completed solution, including proposed tree planting (that will in fact take decades to mature), and that it does not show the long years of construction when there will be a series of workers’ and storage compounds situated along the route and serviced by Pickmere Lane and other local roads, and considerable embankment and viaduct construction work within and close to Pickmere, all involving a very substantial number if HGV movements through the parish.
The Parish Council does now have a single plan which shows the proposed scheme as it passes through Pickmere, and the various compounds and other enabling works which are part of the scheme.
If you require any more information on the proposals or how to object, or if you would like to inspect this plan, please contact the Acting Parish Clerk in the first instance.