No Vote means you will not be told of HS2 plans in Belsize

No VOTE No SAY!

I am shocked and appalled to have canvassed many local Belsize residents, especially if they are not on the voting register, simply appear to have been ignored by Camden and all the political parties in relation to HS2 consultation.  To further evidence my concerns I have only on Tuesday 16th May discovered that the recently announced HS2 Belsize Workshop with Camden Officers of 19th May 2pm to 8pm at Swiss Cottage Library was actually as reported to me by a Camden officer at the request of a Belsize councillor which smacks of political opportunism just 2 days before the local elections and only three days to the deadline for petition submission on the 23rd May. 

What is so scary that many of our local residents still do not know of the highly disruptive tunnelling and air ventilator shaft plans that will unless the HS2 route changes will go ahead through Belsize in 2019 with massive “utility” preparation works from 2016 – 2018 in Fellows Road, Eton Avenue and other surrounding streets, it is not yet known the full extent of the collateral disruption to our iconic leafy area. I call this the community party political disconnect. No Vote No Consult. How often have local politicians seen every day asking at the doors to find out if the electorate lives at an address, when told they don't have voting rights for what ever reason, the politician hastily makes a retreat. Is this a "true" sign of democracy. NO. When I have canvassed a non voter, I still capture their local concerns and inform, especially on matters such as HS2, which most certainly effects them on Eton Avenue. This is the BIG advantage of being Independent.

The disruptions to Eton Avenue will adversely affect the local school run to the large number of private schools there. Also Fellows Road together with parts of Adelaide Road will see the bulk of the disruptive preparation GAS and water mains replacement works ahead of the tunnelling operations currently scheduled to start anytime around 2019. The disruption to Belsize could last a decade,

Those that have been notified by local political party communications have been told that HS1-HS2 Link through Camden (Camden Town) has been cancelled, which it has, But many have been therefore by use of clever wording been falsely given wrong impression that Belsize HS2 route has been changed or cancelled, which it has not.

I am also surprised by the large number of people asking me about the phoney Tory referendum and the official HS2 petition. It is clear to many that the former is nothing more than a shrewd ruse to gather email, phone number, voter intentions intel-op, as for the later which is being promoted by Camden council is a “real” petition direct to Government Select committee, which must be delivered to Portcullis House together with a payment of £20. Many of the economically challenged families most likely to be hit along the council estates route from Euston all the way past Kilburn simply do not have spare money or access to legal advice on making the highly legalised worded formatted petitions. This is a very divisive and undemocratic process.

Groundhog Day Reminisces in Belsize Park!

One of the most pressing concerns for local Belsize residents is and continues to be the shambolic HS2 botched plans for carving up Camden and especially the wild scale destruction and disruption to leafy Belsize for at least a decade, which could start from as early as post general election in 2016-17.

Despite what the political parties of the current sitting councillors for Belsize sending out communications by email and letters suggesting that that HS2 will not affect Camden that is only one half of the bigger story. Whilst it is true that the HS1-HS2 Link through Camden Town which would have decimated large parts of Camden Town and the iconic Camden Lock and have caused disruption to the residents there on a scale approaching what many of the oldest in our community there to be reminiscent of the aftermath of WWII blitz, in terms of construction working. Thankfully the boss of HS2 saw the light and cancelled that part of the project as being sub-standard so yes Camden Town is safe.

But that has not changed the "air shaft" in Adelaide Road nor the HS2 tunnel construction through Belsize.

Are you aware that if the proposed route of HS2 goes forward that three large tunnels each larger than the size of a London double decker bus will pass under Fellows Road and that is despite the recent mis-messages from your local Tory councillors and the misleading "fake" HS2 petition from Tory PPC Simon Marcus, which was nothing more that a name, email address and voter intention gathering intel op.

Most concerning is the close proximity of the three HS2 tunnels being constructed under the foundations of the large 22 storey old 1967 concrete towers with mostly unknown and undocumented foundation features with concrete in a declining state of repair in the lower basement areas. 

I have on record from a HS2 surveyor/engineer that the Chalcot "towers" will sink slightly (settle) and can lean over by several degrees over the proposed tunnels and that surface cracking in the structures is a possibility.

I have yet to obtain a more definitive statement from HS2 Limited on this key question concerning the safety and lives of more than 2,500 residents of the Chalcots.

HS2 Limited assures us that all planning permissions have considered these facts.

Do we trust them!

Illustration by (c) Gail Gibbons. My Daughter has approved this illustration for use here!