Hundreds march against revised HS2 plans for South Yorkshire

Hundreds of people have marched against plans to run the HS2 line on a revised route through South Yorkshire.
Kevin Barron, MP, pictured as he joins protesters as they march through Bramley against the HS2. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 7Kevin Barron, MP, pictured as he joins protesters as they march through Bramley against the HS2. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 7
Kevin Barron, MP, pictured as he joins protesters as they march through Bramley against the HS2. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 7

The protest through the streets of Bramley included a marching band, as well as Rother Valley MP Kevin Barron.

Mr Barron said he has asked for a House of Commons debate on the recently-revised route, which has come about after HS2 bosses scrapped plans to build a new station at Meadowhall.

The protest against the HS2 makes its way up Flash Lane, in Bramley. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 4The protest against the HS2 makes its way up Flash Lane, in Bramley. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 4
The protest against the HS2 makes its way up Flash Lane, in Bramley. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 4
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HS2 now favours a ‘spur’ into Sheffield city centre and the existing railway station - a decision officials claim will save £1bn.

But the intended new route running from the Mansfield area up to Wakefield is due to affect hundreds of homes and businesses in areas such as Bramley, Aston and Swallownest, Barnburgh, Mexborough and Denaby.

HS2 has said it believes the new route will be ‘cheaper, easier to construct, provide better connectivity and affect fewer people than the Meadowhall option’.

A final decision on whether the route will be used is to be made later this year.

Eve Jones and Ava Holland, both six, of Bramley, pictured. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 2Eve Jones and Ava Holland, both six, of Bramley, pictured. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 2
Eve Jones and Ava Holland, both six, of Bramley, pictured. Picture: Marie Caley NSST HS2 Protest MC 2
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Work would not start on building the South Yorkshire stretch of HS2 until the mid-2020s.

The march against the current South Yorkshire proposals took place on Saturday afternoon, with anti-HS2 action groups from across Yorkshire joining forces for a demonstration that set off from outside Bramley Parish Hall.

People waved ‘Stop HS2’ placards and chanted ‘No to HS2’ as part of the demonstration.

Rotherham Council is also opposing the revised route proposals, while Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey has suggested the Government should consider an alternative HS2 parkway station for South Yorkshire if the Meadowhall option is being dropped so the county is to benefit from the line running through it.

He said the current plans ‘risks the worst of all worlds, with the HS2 running right through but not stopping in South Yorkshire’.