Petition against high speed rail plans signed by 900 people

A revised draft of the route shows that the high speed link proposals have moved 40 miles east – meaning trains could rip through the north and east areas of Crofton.

A protest was held outside Crofton Community Centre on Tuesday where HS2 Limited staff were holding an information session.

Crofton Against HS2 team co-ordinator Jonathan Pile said: “We are all very angry but we were peaceful and polite to HS2.”

Nine hundred of 1,300 visitors signed a petition to scrap the project.

And Mr Pile presented HS2 staff with a report which suggests alternative routes.

It reads: “Our communities will be devastated by HS2, and thesudden announcement has created chaos for our residents in their personal lives, house prices, mortgages and future plans.”

The campaigners note that a 250-hectare rolling stock depot would be built close to the village and the track would be within of 500 metres of Crofton and Sharlston.

Mr Pile said that claims by HS2 executive chairman Sir David Higgins that the new route would cause less noise and be cheaper are wrong.

He also said the new route is actually one drafted up and then shelved five years ago.

HS2 aims to cut travelling time to London.