Commenting on the proposed route of the High Speed Rail Link announced by Labour’s Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, today (11th March), Michael Fabricant says:-

"While welcoming the creation of a high speed rail system linking the north and south of the country in principle, I strongly oppose its route through Armitage and Handsacre and through Fisherwick.

"This route will cause untold disruption to residents who have only just had to endure the 4 track widening of the West Coast Main Line. That work went on for years and blighted property prices. It tore the heart out of local communities which have only just begun to settle down. It is totally unreasonable and unfair to expect my constituents to have to go through all that misery for a second time especially as the works for the high speed link will be even more disruptive than for the West Coast Main line work.

"I shall be asking for a one to one meeting with the Labour Minister to explain that using this route for further widening and expansion is just not acceptable. I shall oppose this route whoever wins the next General Election."