Eligibility for a subsidised car and window cleaning scheme for Water Orton and Coleshill residents plagued by dust and grime from the HS2 works is to be quadrupled after intervention by Rachel.
After months of lobbying, from July 2026 the number of properties in Water Orton and Coleshill eligible to access monthly car cleaning vouchers and a window cleaning service provided by local contractors will jump from 37 properties to 175.
Rachel said residents living in and around the works had suffered too long with the impact of dust and grime from the mega building site nearby. However, she also said she wanted to see a lot more done to help residents cope with the dust.
She said:
“I’m delighted to have secured this big expansion of the HS2 subsidised cleaning scheme, so that more than 130 additional families will get the restitution they deserve.
“For too long, residents living closest to the HS2 works have been plagued with the impact of dust and grime coming from the nearby building works. When local people told me the existing cleaning scheme covered just 37 properties, I took that message directly to HS2’s Chief Executive and forced him to act.
“But there is still much more to do. I will continue holding HS2 to account when it comes to the disruption, poor communication, and unfair treatment of my constituents in Coleshill and Water Orton.”
Last year, Rachel invited HS2 Chief Executive Mark Wild to Water Orton’s Spud Club to hear directly from local residents about the impact HS2 was having on them. During the meeting, residents made clear that the existing cleaning scheme did not reflect the impact dust was having on nearby homes and vehicles. Rachel subsequently raised the issue in further meetings with HS2 and pushed for the scheme to be extended.
As a result, HS2 has now agreed to expand eligibility to include additional homes on Gilson Drive and the south side of Vicarage Lane in Water Orton, and properties along the A446 in Coleshill. The MP said both she and HS2 would be writing to the properties now covered by the scheme to notify them that they were now eligible, but that anyone who was unsure could contact her office.
Since being elected, Rachel has secured a series of improvements for communities affected by HS2 in her constituency of North Warwickshire and Bedworth, through regular engagement with local residents and the company. Alongside the expanded cleaning scheme, she has secured major concessions from HS2 on issues including air quality monitoring, traffic management, complaint handling, and unfair rental practices.
Residents affected by HS2 can sign up to Rachel Taylor MP’s dedicated HS2 newsletter via her website to receive the latest updates and information about her ongoing campaign.