COUNCILLOR Derek Bowden is correct when he says that the Northwich area will not benefit from the presence of HS2 and will cause us many problems for years to come.

Construction will, as he says, take place over several years and cause chaos to the area’s road network, especially to the south and east of Northwich.

HS2 will have a devastating impact on large employers such as Morrisons and Roberts Bakery, as well as many of the other businesses on Gadbrook Park, possibly putting many jobs at risk.

Construction of the proposed embankments will require over 500,000 lorry movements carrying materials to the site and consequently 500,000 return journeys.

Depending on the source of these materials, roads throughout the broader Northwich area will be congested for many, many years.

Sadly there is very little that Northwich Town Council can do to manage or mitigate the disastrous effects that the construction process, once it has started, will have on Northwich and the broader surrounding area.

However, there is something that the town council can do now in conjunction with all the HS2 affected parish councils.

They could, and should, oppose HS2, ensuring that their views are clearly and urgently expressed to Cheshire West and Chester Council, so that the existing high level of opposition to HS2; that the CWAC cabinet are already fully aware of, is reinforced.

Cheshire West and Chester Council will be responding to the two HS2 consultations that are currently running.

Northwich Town Council should also respond, as should all the businesses and residents in the Northwich area which are opposed to this disastrous and completely unnecessary infrastructure project.

These consultations end on March 9.

Ewen Simpson Whatcroft Northwich