Rachel has pushed HS2 Chief Executive Mark Wild to take stronger action on the ongoing disruption and concerns facing residents in Water Orton, following a well-attended public meeting at Water Orton’s infamous Spud Club.
Rachel brought the HS2 CEO directly to the community for the second time to give residents the opportunity to put their questions to him and share their experiences of living with the impact of HS2 construction works.
Residents raised a number of serious concerns, including the smell, dust, air quality, road disruption and the wider impact of construction on their daily lives.
Following the meeting, CEO Mark Wild made several commitments:
- Working with residents and others on air quality and health concerns.
- Better communication about works that cause disruption.
- Returning next spring to update residents and hear what has changed.
- Dealing directly with specific concerns raised.
Rachel said:
“Residents in Water Orton have put up with disruption for far too long. It was important to me that they had the opportunity to put their concerns directly to the person at the top of HS2 and demand answers.
“Mark Wild has made a number of commitments, and now HS2 must deliver. I will be holding their feet to the fire to make sure these promises lead to real improvements for residents. I want to see action, not just more words.”
Rachel also thanked everyone who attended and shared their experiences, as well as the volunteers at the Spud Club for hosting the meeting and continuing to provide an important space for the local community.