VILLAGERS left a HS2 representative presenting the case for the high speed rail line at a public meeting in no doubt as to their opposition to the proposed scheme.

The meeting at Lach Dennis Village Hall was attended by 140 members of the public from villages along the line of the proposed route.

The residents listened to a presentation by Raj Chandarana, community and stakeholder engagement manager for HS2 Ltd, before asking numerous questions on issues including property blight and the economic impact of HS2 on farming in the area.

The meeting was organised by campaign group Mid Cheshire Against HS2, and included the presentation of a petition of more than 1,000 names of people opposed to the high speed line.

“The unequivocal message to HS2 and the government is that the vast majority of the public do not want HS2, see no need for it and consider there are many preferred options for the spending of £43 billion,” said Ewen Simpson, spokesperson for Mid Cheshire Against HS2.

MP Fiona Bruce addressed the audience, confirming that although HS2 is not planned to pass through her constituency, she is strongly opposed to the project and had come to show her support and solidarity with its Mid Cheshire opponents.

She presented Raj Chandarana with a petition opposing HS2 containing the signatures of 1,115 opponents of HS2 obtained at various events in Mid Cheshire, with a request that this should be passed on to HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport.

Phase one of HS2 will link London to Birmingham, and construction is due to start in 2017. Phase two will connect Birmingham to Manchester on the western branch and Leeds on the eastern.

Five thousand leaflets were sent out by Mid Cheshire Against HS2 group to publicise the meeting, which gave people their first opportunity to put questions to the HS2 Ltd representatives.

Mr Simpson said Mr Chandarana confirmed that the secretary of state would be making an announcement on phase two this autumn, but this would not include the finalisation of the route, and a final announcement of the route had been delayed to late 2015.

Issues raised by residents included the comparison of HS2 with neglected local rail services, the disruption of existing road networks during the building of the line and geological issues such as subsidence, sinkholes and salt extraction For details visit mid-cheshire-against-hs2.co.uk.