• A summary of the original proposals appears below. Full details are available at: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/ 

Useful websites on HS2:

• HS2 Action Alliance has an excellent Press & News page:  http://www.hs2actionalliance.org/pressandnews.php  (1st December 2010)
• In order to maximise the impact we can have on this time, HS2AA could do with your help. If you go to the website http://www.hs2actionalliance.org , there is a "Donate now" button which links to the bank account, or if you would like to make a standing order, you can contact the treasurer of HS2AA by way of info@hs2actionalliance.org (26th August 2010)
  
• In his Budget the Chancellor George Osborne said he was going to ask the public for ideas on how we could save the country money. The consultation goes on until the end of August only and to take part you will have to register at
  http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ Then you will be able to leave your suggestions, and comment on ones left by other people. You will also have the chance to vote on comments, so please give 5 stars to anyone saying “Stop HS2”! (26th July 2010)
• There is now an opportunity to comment on the Coalition Government proposals on a website set up by Dept of Transport . This can be accessed on http://programmeforgovernment.hmg.gov.uk/transport/
  
• A letter from Tony Baldry (MP for Banbury) to Philip Hammond (the 'new' Sec State Transport) requesting clarity on HS2 (21/5/10).
• Monbiot's article in the Guardian - 17th May 2010
• A letter from the DfT regarding the 'missing' Environmental Impact Assessment.
  
• Email from the HS2 Action group - 20th April 2010. 
• Email to members and supporters from the Chiltern Society - 15th April 2010.
  
• Power point slides from the Chiltern Conservation Board presentation at the meeting on 29th March - inc. some interesting photos of HS1 in Kent.
  
• Comments on the Government's current Consultation on the Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) can be found here:
  A note on Government Policy on compensation
  A leaflet on what to do by 20th May 21010
• Local discussions can be found on: The Lee Forum.
• David Lidington's response to a constituent.
  
• Use this link to petition against the Chiltern route for the high speed rail link: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/railhighspeed/
• A copy of a very useful two-page hand-out from the Chilterns Conservation Board at:
  http://www.logicarchitect.co.uk/Newsletter/CHILTERN-AONB.pdf.

• A useful "What do do now page"  http://chilterncountrysidegroup.org

• Other useful input, comment & opinions on these websites:

http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport/rail/highspeed2
http://www.chilternsociety.org.uk/activ-planning-hsRail.php
http://www.chilternsaonb.org/news_detail.asp?ID=144
http://www.2mgroup.org.uk/
http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/  A transport journalist who makes a good case against HS2. Specifically here: http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/2010/03/high-speed-line-is-a-matter-of-faith-and-i-dont-have-it/ 
http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=3153  The non-technical HS2 sustainability report which is very blase about the Chilterns: pages 13 - 20.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_8580000/8580259.stm - 30 minute debate at Westminster.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_8593000/8593520.stm - a second debate which is pro HS2

 Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds, with high speed trains eventually running through to Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

This Y-shaped network would be capable of carrying trains at up to 225 mph. The London-Birmingham link will initially be able to run up to 14 trains per hour. The trains will be 400m long with a capacity of up to 1100 seats.

Full details of the proposals can be found in the ‘High Speed Rail Command Paper’, Department for Transport, ISBN/Product code: 9780101782722 and at www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/

The line of least resistance?
The recommended route between London and Birmingham was also published on 11th March and, subject to further work by the consultants and subsequent public consultation, it has been endorsed by the Government.

The recommended route would leave London in a tunnel from Euston station to a new interchange west of Paddington. It would then make use of an existing rail corridor (the Wycombe branch of the Chiltern line) as far as Ruislip. From West Ruislip the route would then pass over a long low viaduct to reach the M25 where it would enter a tunnel. This tunnel would then climb into the Chilterns, passing under Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles and Amersham, before emerging just west of Old Amersham. From there it would remain on the surface, following the Misbourne valley above the A413.

This part of the proposed route crosses Frith Hill, Leather Lane, Bowood Lane and Rocky Lane in a series of cuttings, embankments and viaducts to finally descend into the Wendover gap. For residents of The Lee and surrounding areas, this is clearly the most controversial part of the proposal.

North of Wendover, the recommended route runs to the west of Aylesbury and then follows in part the line of the disused Great Central Railway before passing Brackley and entering Warwickshire. It then skirts to the east of Birmingham, to enter the city via a short link, alongside an existing rail line.

The government has accepted the recommendation that the line would not include any intermediate stations between London and Birmingham.

Timetable and consultation
Full public consultation on the route is planned for early 2011 with a decision in principle on whether to proceed in 2011/12. Construction could then start in 2019, which could result in the London-Birmingham route opening by the end of 2026, with the legs to Manchester and Leeds opening over the succeeding years.
Total infrastructure cost is estimated at £15.8 to £17.4bn.