Shropshire villagers fears HS2 construction traffic will hit wider area
Commuters across the region could find themselves hit by delays if HS2 construction traffic comes to a village in Shropshire, it was warned today.
Campaigners in Woore say they wouldn't be the only area to be hit if plans to route hundreds of lorries a day through the village go ahead.
Councillor Roy Aldcroft, who represents the area on Shropshire Council, had previously asked developers to reconsider the route.
He said he had raised the issue of the impact on major A roads in the area.
The current proposed route would see about 500 HGVs travel from the A51 and turn on to the A525 at Woore daily.
"We are getting a little bit concerned that when they do start work, major junctions in the wider area will be affected," he said. "Even before they start there will have to be adaptations made to the roads.
"We have heard a lot about the disruption all of these HGVs will cause in Woore, but for people who are commuting between Drayton and places like Crewe and Nantwich it's going to have a major effect and slow the traffic right down.
"People are going to have to find alternative routes or set off an hour earlier to make it work. People should be aware that it's not just going to affect Woore – it is the whole area."
Impact
HS2 officials said that the chosen route was the most suitable. Mark Thurston, HS2 Ltd chief executive, wrote to North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson playing down fears of the impact construction traffic for the high-speed rail one would have.
In a statement earlier this year, HS2 said: "The impacts of construction traffic are understandably a particular concern for residents who live or work near the proposed Phase 2a route.
"HS2 is committed to ensuring that the adverse effects identified within the environmental statement are minimised, as far as reasonably practicable.”
The new high-speed rail network will run from London to Birmingham and to Manchester and Leeds.
Ministers say it will improve the transport network and boost the economy, but there has been controversy about the exact route of the line and its effect on those living near it.
The initial plan is for a new railway line between London and the West Midlands carrying 400m-long trains with as many as 1,100 seats per train.
