HS2: Homeowner 'disappointed' over being forced to sell after 30 years unnecessarily

ITV News Central Reporter Lewis Warner reports from Long Eaton about how the latest HS2 plans affect people in Derbyshire

A homeowner in Long Eaton has told ITV Central she is "disappointed" after being forced to sell her home because of HS2, especially now that the eastern leg has been scrapped.

Valerie Richardson, who lived in her former home for 30 years and has long been moved out, said it was all for nothing.

She lived on Bonsall Street in Long Eaton - until two years ago - when her home was bought by HS2 via compulsory purchase.

Her home was just one of hundreds as well as businesses that were bought up by HS2 Ltd, the government-owned company building the railway, in preparation for the now scrapped route.

They were due to be knocked down in order to make way for the rail line and it's surrounding infrastructure.

'I'm very disappointed that I gave my home up for all them years for no need, very unnecessarily,' says former Bonsall Street resident Valerie Richardson

Speaking to ITV Central, Ms Richardson said: "I'm glad that it has been scrapped - that HS2 has been scrapped.

"But I'm very disappointed that I gave my home up for all them years for no need, very unnecessarily - and the stress that went with it - which went on for years."

When asked by ITV Central Reporter Lewis Warner if she should still live there now, Valerie said: "Yes, I would have been because I've got very happy memories there.

"There was nothing I wanted doing to that house," she added.

She concluded today's developments are "quite emotional because I had quite a lot of happy years here, a lot of happy years."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told ITV Central: "There is no point in having massive plans to excavate...when you could use the existing line to get the same effect".

ITV News Central Reporter Pablo Taylor asks Mr Johnson whether he will apologise as hundreds were forced to sell their homes because of HS2 rail plans

When ITV News Central Reporter Pablo Taylor asked whether the prime minister would apologise after hundreds of homes were forced to be sold, Mr Johnson did not apologise.

He said: "Look, what I think you're seeing today is a colossal investment in rail capacity for the East Midlands and for the West Midlands."

Mr Johnson added: "For the first time in history in this country, we're not just building the TransPennine, the high-speed TransPennine link but we're building a high-speed link for the West to the East Midlands and vice versa."

"There is no point in having massive plans to excavate, to dig up miles and miles of verging countryside over decades, spending hundreds of billions of pounds when you could use the existing line to get the effect much earlier."

But the latest HS2 news has been somewhat better for others - some of whom haven't yet moved out.

'I'm being bias, but it makes perfect sense to have it there,' says one local resident

Stephen Harrold told ITV News Central the new changes to stop HS2 trains to the south of Totum work.

Mr Harrold said: "I'm being bias, but it makes perfect sense to have on it there."

He continued: "It's closer to all the infrastructures, closer to Castle Donington, industrial estates.

"It's closer to the motorway - it makes perfect sense to do that," he added.