We will keep fighting, says Camden Council

Leader of Camden Council, Councillor Sarah Hayward, said:

“The report represents something of a pyrrhic victory for Camden. There's no doubt that our campaigning, with our communities, has led to the recognition that HS2 will devastate Camden. We welcome the recognition that Government plans for both the Euston station and the Link are deeply flawed.

However, this report is simply making recommendations to Government. It is for ministers to decide to abandon the link and go back to the drawing board on the station. Until they do, the current plans are those that Parliament will consider and ultimately HS2 will build. Therefore we must keep fighting.

As it stands, Camden still faces unacceptable levels of blight with 80% of the homes set to be demolished being in Camden.

While we cautiously welcome a report that exposes the many flaws in the HS2 scheme we need concrete guarantees.

Ministers need to:

-Agree to go back to the drawing board on the station, using Camden's working group to transparently develop designs

-Decide quickly to cancel the plans for the Link, exposed as costly and devastating

-Act on the substandard and unfair mitigation and compensation arrangement for Camden and our residents.

-To be clear that the Higgins report requires fundamental changes that the Environmental Statement will need to be re-written and re-consulted

I urge people who care about Camden not to treat this report as a victory, but simply as a staging post. We must continue to fight this scheme and for better outcomes for Camden if Government insists on pressing ahead.”