12 September 2021
HS2 will destroy 900 homes and 1,000 businesses along with much wildlife habitat, ancient woodland and biodiverse sensitive areas. Just for a new railway with very few stations, at a loss of existing services.
We think there are better options if we are to manage the climate crisis it would be a necessity to electrify the 60% of our existing rail network as a priority. We need better connectivity not less, better local transport improvements. And we need to take better care of our nature and carbon sequestering trees, not smash through our ancient woodlands and plant new saplings in the hope they can replace what is destroyed.
So how will it affect the Knutsford area – Please see here from Cheshire East Borough Council web site:
The HS2 route comes back into Cheshire East in the north of the Borough. A series of continuous viaducts start at Wade Brook in Cheshire West, then over the existing Mid Cheshire railway line and over the junction of the A556 and A559. Viaducts then continue over Peover Eye and Smoker Brook.
The line goes under Flittogate Lane and Pickmere Lane and then a viaduct over Arley Brook. The line also goes under Budworth Road. Some properties are likely to be affected here. It then goes over the M6 motorway. The HS2 line then splits into two north of the A50, with a route towards Wigan and the ‘station approach’ line towards Manchester Airport. The main line goes under Peacock Lane, Agden Lane and the M56, before reaching the A56, which will be realigned and HS2 will go over it. Properties are likely to be affected here.
The spur line (heading in the direction of its link with the station approach line) crosses over Agden Brook flood plain courtesy of a viaduct and under the A556 before Junction 8.
Excavations are planned either side of the line running parallel with the M56. Properties are likely to be affected. It then crosses viaducts over Blackburn’s Brook and Birkin Brook.
There will be a crossing under Ashley Road and Lamb Lane HS2 crosses the existing railway just south of Ashley. As it enters the village of Thorns Green, HS2 travels under Brickhill Lane and Castle Mill Lane, where properties are likely to be affected.
A viaduct will then cross over the River Bollin flood plain before leaving Cheshire East and into the village of Halebank. More properties will be affected here. The M56 will be temporarily realigned south of Junction 6, and the A538 will be realigned to cross over HS2. The motorway will be remodelled between junction 5 and 6 to accommodate the new Manchester Interchange and HS2 station at the airport.
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