Issue - meetings

Members considered a report which presented a draft response to the government’s consultation document on its proposed high speed rail network (HS2), for amendment or approval prior to the closing date of 29 July 2011.

The consultation questions, and the draft responses to them, were set out in Annex A to the report.  Broadly, the responses indicated that the Council:

• Supported proposals for a high speed network, subject to resources directed to the project not being detrimental to improvement programmes for other routes;
• Supported the case for a direct connection to the proposed high speed rail line;
• Believed the government’s strategy for air travel should be considered before confirming a view on a direct connection to Heathrow;
• Considered that the Leeds element of the y-shaped network should connect to the East Coast Main line south of York, rather than north;
• Felt that the impact of the scheme on local ecology etc needed to be balanced against its economical, social and environmental benefits.

The Leeds City Region, of which York was a constituent member, had also prepared a draft response to the consultation.  Similarities and differences between the two responses were summarised in paragraph 20 of the report.

Members commented that a more focused and coherent regional approach to HS2 was required and that York would need to work with other councils to achieve this.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the report be noted.

                        (ii)        That the draft response be amended to address the issues of:

·        the interim position after the construction of phase 1

·        rail links to the Midland main line and electrification of the line through to York. ¹

                        (ii)        That, subject to those amendments, the draft response be submitted as the Council’s response to the Government’s consultation on a high speed rail network. ²

REASON:      To enable a response reflecting Members’ views to be submitted before the closing date of 29 July 2011.