All 1 Debates between Michael Fabricant and Taiwo Owatemi

Mon 13th Sep 2021

HS2

Debate between Michael Fabricant and Taiwo Owatemi
Monday 13th September 2021

(3 years, 3 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Taiwo Owatemi Portrait Taiwo Owatemi
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I thank my hon. Friend for raising such an important point, which I will come to.

I have been wrestling with whether the cost of HS2, both economically and environmentally, outweighs its benefits. I represent the west midlands constituency of Coventry North West, where HS2 is projected to add many jobs locally, better connect our cities and bolster the regional economy, and I welcome those benefits. I also applaud any efforts to invest in clean and green public transport infrastructure, such as high-speed rail. Building high-speed rail that connects our country with cutting-edge train technology should be something that we can all rally around.

Michael Fabricant Portrait Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)
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Does the hon. Lady recall that when HS2 was originally planned, it was going to go not into Curzon Street, but into Birmingham New Street? That would have given her constituency greater connectivity. Moreover, it would have connected with HS1 so that people could travel direct to the continent without changing trains in London. Would not that have been the connectivity that she talks about?

Taiwo Owatemi Portrait Taiwo Owatemi
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that point. I will come on to connectivity later in my speech. However, I have my own reservations about HS2. As somebody whose constituency contains woodlands at risk of increased pollution from HS2, I harbour concerns about the environmental damage that the railway will bring locally. I therefore intend to use my remaining time to expand on the petitioners’ key contentions, which beg the question: should the Government continue to fund HS2’s construction?