Photo of HS1 by Shirley Judges.
Nearest station: Birmingham Interchange (near Airport/NEC). Destination: London Euston or Old Oak Common, West London (interchange for Heathrow).
Closest road in Cubbington village to proposed HS2 line: Thorn Stile Close, 545 yards (500 metres). Others outside the village will also be close to the line. See the HS2 Ltd map https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/532882/C223-CSI-CV-DPP-030-000004-FPD.pdf
- Two tracks, two concrete zones, service roads, viaducts, large earthworks, fences and overhead gantries for cables.
- Deepest point of Cubbington cutting: 40 ft (12m). Greatest width: 330 ft. (100 m.)
- Trains running at 225 mph initially, 250 mph in future.
- Up to 1100 passengers per train; trains running 5 am – midnight.
- 20 trains per hour (eventually 36) in both directions.
- Length of each train: up to a quarter of a mile.
- Budget for London-West Midlands section (Phase 1) is £24.3bn, excluding rolling stock (2015 prices). Budget for the full system London-Manchester-Leeds on the same basis is £48.7bn, rising to £55.7bn if rolling stock costs are included. A recent estimate http://stophs2.org/news/17527-4000-page-analysis-puts-hs2-cost-double-grayling-admits-hs2-cost-finalised by an independent expert puts the cost of Phase 1 at £51.23bn (excluding rolling stock).
- Visual impact of embankment + 200m. viaduct across unspoilt river Leam valley.
- Many residents will experience noise nuisance 19 hours a day as high speed trains are much noisier than conventional ones, more like aircraft on rails.
- Disruption to local communities and traffic during building work: up to 7 years.
- Destruction: much of South Cubbington Wood, peaceful countryside, footpaths and wildlife.
- Our 200 year old champion Wild Pear Tree will be axed.
