Letter: Councillors demand HS2 tunnel through Northolt

She announced that, in an effort to reduce the noise impact on local residents several parts of the high speed railway would be run through tunnels.

This included - and I quote directly - 'a new 2.75 mile (4.4 km) bored tunnel along the Northolt Corridor.'

Our initial delight turned to dismay when we realised the 'Northolt Corridor' actually begins just west of Willow Tree Primary School and is in fact a tunnel which will only benefit the residents of Ruislip in the borough of Hillingdon.

The part of HS2 passing through Northolt will not be in a tunnel and the residents of Northolt Mandeville ward will suffer massive disruption - the closure of the Mandeville Road railway bridge for a considerable period, for example - without getting any benefits or any consideration from the coalition government.

I would stress that we are not opposed to HS2 in principle and would not like to be seen as Nimbys who are standing in the way of a project which may provide economic benefits especially to the Midlands and the north of England.

Is it wrong of us to question changes which pacify residents in Conservative-controlled Hillingdon, which is represented by two Tory MPs, while offering nothing to residents of Labour-controlled Ealing, and particular Ealing North, which is represented by a Labour MP?

If the government can provide a tunnel for Ruislip, why not a tunnel for Northolt?

Chris Summers and Ara Iskanderian
Labour councillors for Northolt Mandeville ward