Michael Fabricant is meeting Andrew McNaughton, Chief Engineer of HS2, this evening (Wednesday 22nd February) to discuss the route HS2 will take in the midlands. "I still believe that the route HS2 is taking is wrong" says Michael. "It is possible that the special Parliamentary committee which will scrutinise the route will agree with me that it should have used existing transport corridors such as the M40. It would also provide better links between Birmingham and Heathrow airports. I will be asking the Chief Engineer about this.

"Closer to home, I will be raising the question of the height of the HS2 track as it crosses to the east of Lichfield, where the construction depot will be sited, and whether he has more information as to the location of the ‘Y’ junction where HS2 splits on the western route to Manchester and the eastern route to Leeds.

"Mitigation of the environmental impact of HS2 and maximisation of the compensation available are now my main priorities".