High Speed Rail Proposal

The peace and tranquillity of the Claydons is being threatened by the Government's High Speed Rail proposals. These include the reopening of the Great Central Line north of Calvert, running between Twyford and Steeple Claydon, as well as a maintenance depot in the Steeple Claydon area, adjacent to the East West Railway (due to reopen in 2016). There will be no station anywhere on the line between London and Birmingham.

Aylesbury Vale District Council is holding a special meeting to discuss the proposals
on 14th April.

Meanwhile the Council has issued the following statement:

'AVDC dismayed at High Speed Two rail proposal

The gloves are off as Aylesbury Vale District Council prepares to make its first response to the proposal for a new High Speed Rail between Birmingham and London.
Leader of the Council, Councillor John Cartwright, said: “We’ve plotted the route through Aylesbury Vale and we’re dismayed at the negative impact this could have on our district. Large sections of the line would be by viaducts or on embankments, leaving little scope for reducing the noise level or visual impact. Aylesbury Vale may not have large swathes of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but it does have wonderful rolling countryside, fantastic views and landscapes, which give it its name. Many villages and wonderful properties from Wendover in the south to Tingewick in the north of the Vale would be affected by this route if it goes ahead.”
He added: “As a major growth area with challenging housing and job targets set by the government, it’s even more galling that the route proposed wouldn’t even stop in any part of our district, so there is not even an economic benefit for the Vale. The government has set out a very ambitious timetable for opening the line but we are putting them on notice now that they are in for a very long fight.”
Prior to the announcement, AVDC and its partners already have been active to ensure that Buckinghamshire's residents were protected, and that there was no lasting damage to the unique landscape.
During the writing of the report representatives from the county and district councils have been strongly lobbying Lord Adonis and MPs along with the High Speed Two Company. However, the shared concerns have not been taken on board in the draft proposal.
AVDC will be working with its partners to agree the next steps and how it can help inform the local community about the route and the details of the public consultation planned for autumn.'


A number of constituents have already contacted me about these plans, and I am aware that there is great concern about the implications for our villages.

There is a particular concern about the proposed maintenance depot, about which there is little clear information in the existing plans. The map which has been provided by the Department of Transport merely shows an arrow pointing towards Steeple Claydon (which is off the map) along the East West Rail line towards a 'new manitenance depot', with no clear indication of its location or size.

Elsewhere in the plans it is stated that the maintenance depot will be based on the existing Singlewell Depot in Kent alongside the High Speed 1 line. This is a depot for infrastructure (track, signals, points etc) only and not a rolling stock maintenance depot, but it includes office accommodation, workshops, maintenance sheds, rail plant, fuelling points and parking for 150 cars. It would be in operation 24 hours a day and be floodlit at night.

I shall request further information on the size and location of this depot, as the exisiting plans lack clarity and detail.

In general, I think the proposals are deeply flawed. A route which is not directly connected to the existing High Speed One line, Thameslink or any of the London Airports cannot be the right strategic decision. It has all the hallmarks of the proposal of a Government which knows it will not be in power to implement it, and is yet another reason to throw this wretched Government out of office on May 6th.