RESIDENTS are being urged to attend a public meeting at Winsford Academy next weekend over changes to the planned route for HS2.

The call comes from Mid Cheshire Against HS2, which wants to see as many people attend the meeting as possible to show what it says is the strength of opposition to the proposed high speed rail link.

The meeting has been organised by Eddisbury MP Antoinette Sandbach following the announcement on November 15 of the modified route through Mid Cheshire of Phase 2 of HS2.

The meeting takes place on Saturday, December 17, in the main hall at the academy in Grange Lane, Winsford.

It starts at 10.30am sharp, and anyone wishing to attend is asked to email cranee@parliament.uk to confirm their attendance.

“It is important that we give people information so that they can respond to the consultation,” said Antoinette Sandbach.

Graham Dellow, secretary of Mid Cheshire Against HS2, said: “It is absolutely vital that we get as many people as possible to this meeting to prove to Antoinette Sandbach the strength of anti-feeling that exists with regard to HS2.”

There are seven refinements to the route on which the Department of Transport is consulting.

At the time of the announcement of the changes, Mr Dellow said: “The announcement is an absolute disaster for the people of Cheshire.

“More people are now affected, we have an HS2 depot to contend with and one stretch of the route will now be four track rather than two.

“It would appear that whilst HS2 Ltd and the Government have avoided a potential clash with gas storage, they have taken very little notice of the adverse geological conditions in Cheshire that will make a high speed railway extremely expensive to build and potentially dangerous.”