Charities set out high speed rail charter

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National charities concerned with environmental, heritage, countryside, legal and wildlife issues have joined forces on high speed rail.

They have signed up to the Right Lines Charter, which aims to hold the government to account in its approach to new high speed lines.

It sets out four core principles 'for doing high speed rail well': a national transport strategy, better future-proofing of big transport proposals, effective public participation, and a more strategic approach to minimising adverse impacts.

Shaun Spiers, chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said:

"It is understandable that those who would benefit or lose from the proposals want to be cheerleaders or gravediggers for high-speed rail.

"The government needs to be listening rather than shouting encouragement at one side.

A new high-speed line can help provide the extra rail capacity the country needs, but the current HS2 route would cause unacceptable damage to the beauty and tranquillity of much-loved countryside.

"The government must consult properly and show that it is prepared to listen to legitimate concerns."

The charter's signatories say they want "engage positively with the government" to find the best long-term outcome from high speed rail "for the country, the climate, communities and the countryside".

The Woodland Trust has signed up to the Charter.

A spokesman said the Trust "believes there is a need to move towards a low carbon economy. high speed rail is one option to help us achieve this, but we remain unconvinced that, in their current form, HS2 plans will help to do this".

Doug Parr, policy director of Greenpeace UK, said:

"Tackling transport emissions means an increase in rail capacity. High speed rail can only help if it’s in a proper policy framework which ensures people move from car and plane onto the train."

Mark Avery, RSPB director of conservation, said:

"A switch to rail is critical if our future transport system is going to be green and clean. But the environmental benefits won't materialise on their own. Government must demonstrate how HS2 plans will respect nature, minimise damage to important wildlife sites, and help us in the fight against climate change."

Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said:

"High speed rail needs to be part of a broader policy to reduce road and air traffic, with extra rail capacity to improve people’s travel choices and to get freight off the roads. Only if there is this broader policy can the full impacts of high speed rail be assessed properly."

Professor David Begg, Director of the Campaign for high speed rail, welcomed the charter and called it "an important contribution to the consultation around HS2".

"It is significant that these groups recognise a high speed rail line would help offset carbon emissions from other less green forms of transport," he said.

"Any large-scale transport project inevitably has positives as well as negatives. The government and HS2 Ltd must work together with public interest groups to minimise the environmental impact of the project in order to maximise the wealth of positive outcomes."

The following organisations support the charter: Campaign for Better Transport, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Chiltern Society, Civic Voice, Environmental Law Foundation, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace UK, RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust.

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