A 62-year-old environmental protester has spent more than 20 hours underneath a large digger as part of a new campaign to block the construction of the controversial HS2 high speed rail link.
Sarah Green, a member of the Green party and a businesswoman in Hillingdon, started her protest under the digger, which is to be used for preparatory demolition work, in part of the Colne valley nature reserve at around lunchtime on Monday. Several other activists later joined her under the digger.
As well as wider objections about the ballooning cost of the project, protesters say the work will damage local wildlife. Speaking from underneath the digger on Tuesday morning, Green said she had spent “a beautiful night” there looking up at the stars.
The occupation is the first of a rolling programme of direct action set to take place along the route of the controversial HS2 development, environmental campaigners say.
Green said she and other protesters hoped they would be able to stop it taking place. While parliament has already approved an act for HS2 to go ahead, they hope to capitalise on opposition across the political spectrum.
Activists have circulated callouts on social media for tents, tarpaulins, climbing gear, warm clothes, bedding and food.
Advocates of the scheme say that when it is completed it will be the fastest rail network in Europe with trains able to carry 1,100 passengers travelling at 250mph. However, the cost of the development is escalating and it has been billed as the most expensive railway development in the world. The first phase alone is costing £48bn.
One of the environmental protesters, Pete Phoenix, said: “This development is going to take out a lot of ancient woodland and pollute the water in the lakes in this area. Nobody wants HS2. It’s a Tory white elephant.”
No comments:
Post a Comment