THE FLAWED HIGGINS REPORT
In the Wakefield Council area, a ward population of 65,346 would be affected by HS2 construction over 8-10 years representing 19.5% of Wakefield's 333,759 population. With 40,060 people in the Villages of Sharlston (2,716), Crofton (5,896) Wragby (90), Hemsworth (13,577) , Kinsley (4,372), Havercroft (2,301) and South Kirkby (11,198) being impacted living within 1km or closer to track/depot.
Demolition of some properties in Crofton is clearly marked on maps but unlike in Mexborough, no letters warning of demolition & CPO have been sent. In South Yorkshire we estimate a similar 40,000 people are likely to be affected with 600-900 in Demolition. The Higgins Report wrongly claims without evidence or prior geological or environmental impact study that the longer new route will be more economic (£1 billion saving) & have less noise and demolition impact that the shorter 2013 route. The People of Crofton, Mexborough and Rail Engineers question this unevidenced assertion.
Major Geological Questions for HS2 Limited on unresearched New Route & many unanswered on old route.
Public domain material from the Coal Authority shows much of the new proposed route in "Development high risk area" with the added complication of historic Past and Probable Shallow Coal Mine Workings. At the very least it makes the cost of construction and excavation in Crofton very expensive and at worst operations of a high speed route & depot impossible. But since HS2 Limited has done ZERO research and Environmental impact this will be news to them. We call on Wakefield Council to object to the route & depot in a forceful manner which did not occur in 2013. We also call on Wakefield Council to propose an alternative location for the depot, something it failed to do in 2013.