HS2 fury: ‘We’re not human to them’
FURIOUS residents in Long Eaton have slammed HS2 bosses, saying: “We’re not human to them.”
Their anger follows a hard-hitting report on the fast rail project which said 183 homes, 52 commercial buildings, 18 other buildings and thousands of jobs would be lost to make way for HS2 in Ratcliffe-onsoar, Toton, Stapleford and Long Eaton.
And that is on top of threats to health in the area and the destruction of 91 percent of wildlife on Toton Sidings.
Bonsall Street in Long Eaton will lose 73 homes to make way for a 19-metre viaduct.
Jacqualine Blackburn, 68, lives on the street with her husband Nicolas, 65. The houses opposite them face destruction and the owners, they said, will receive compensation.
They, however, have been told that they will receive nothing.
Mrs Blackburn said: “There’s no telling how bad this will be with all the pollution and dust directly opposite us.
“We’re just a number to them, we’re not human. The letters aren’t even addressed to us personally.
“It’s the unknown. We haven’t really been told what is going on.
“Our daughter asked us the other night if we’d seen the news about them wanting to take the whole street. She lives down Meadow Lane and her future isn’t certain either.
“I’ve heard about the barn owls and the nature reserve. It’s just so upsetting. They’re not looking at the whole cost of the project.”
Mr Blackburn said: “As for the jobs, what’s to say they will still be there once the job is done? We’ve seen it all before with the three main British industries like steel and the mines.
“You’ve got Tequipment up the road, the upholstery industry – there’s loads of jobs there and I’ve been hearing that could go.”
Mrs Blackburn added: “We’ve both had heart attacks. Nicolas is disabled and on crutches. All of this on top is horrible.
“It was bad enough when they were working on Derby Station, with the work trains thundering past at 10 at night every 15 minutes.
Owner of the Carriages 1940s railway tearoom, Emma Smith, hopes the business would be safe.
Five shops and a cafe on Station Road will be demolished, but which ones nobody knows.
She said: “I’m sure this building is listed as it’s the old station building so I think the viaduct would be going next to it.
“I personally don’t think we need it and it’s terrible about people losing their homes.
“I guess HS2 see it as a way to progress just like the trams.”
The work will take place over eight years from 2025 to 2033. HS2 says it will generate around 8,870 full-time jobs and that the region would “reap significant benefits”.
A HS2 spokeswoman said: “We will be contacting newly impacted home owners to explain what this means for them, and the options available to them.
“Construction of the railway is not expected to start for at least five years. Support and compensation will be available to those directly impacted.”
But Stop HS2 Erewash spokesman Brent Poland said: “We believe that enough is enough and that HS2 can no longer use ‘an end justifies the means’ approach to our community.
“We are calling into question the legitimacy of HS2 and asking how they can fund not only the line but fix the area after they are finished with us. We believe that HS2 and our local politicians have not been fair, transparent and honest in their dealings with us and they have consistently ignored our concerns.”