Anti-HS2 tree protest in Parliament Square

• ALTHOUGH it is good that you’re reporting on the protests against HS2 it’s a shame you make light of the protest and allow HS2 the space to green-wash their destructive project, (Answering the call, Parliament Square protest, September 18).

HS2 is the current biggest threat to wildlife and habitats in the UK. There are no wildlife organisations in favour of HS2.

The Wildlife Trust, in partnership with many other organisations, wrote a report at the start of the year, What’s the Damage?, highlighting the devastation that HS2 is and will cause over the next 20 years. HS2 has been committing wildlife crimes throughout the spring and summer.

With regard to removing traffic off the road, even by their own calculations, HS2’s impact on this is miniscule.

In fact, because most of those who will want to use this facilitator of airport expansion will need to travel further to catch it – it doesn’t stop at many stations – longer distances may be needed to get to the closest station.

What is urgently needed is investment in existing rail networks. HS2 will never be carbon neutral in its lifetime. It is adding to the climate crisis like no other infrastructure project in Europe.

HS2 is carrying out our very own Amazon destruction. This sounds alarmist, but what should be happening is the sounding of alarm bells and everyone should be up in arms, if not up a tree, helping to stop this land-grab and ecological disaster.

LEO SMITH,
N19