Imported seeds for HS2 could carry diseases which threaten Britain s woodlands, ecologists warn
Biosecurity checks are not enough to eliminate the risk of devastating plant diseases, experts said
13 February 2021 • 3:00pm
Olive trees (L) infected by xylella fastidiosa in southern Italy. The bacteria is among those which ecologists fear could be brought to the UK on imported seeds.
Credit: CHARLES ONIANS /AFP
HS2 has been accused of risking Britain’s woodlands with a tree planting policy that risks bringing in disease with foreign seeds.
Millions of trees are to be planted by the high-speed rail project to replace lost woodland and create a green corridor along the route, but it has come under fire for refusing to use only UK-sourced seeds.
HS2 ‘sheriffs’ to keep contractors in check
HS2 Ltd is to deploy 13 senior leaders along the line’s Phase One route between London and the West Midlands to ensure that its contractors comply with assurances it and the Department for Transport have made.
HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston revealed that the roles have been created to ensure better alignment between HS2 Ltd’s construction pledges and its contractors’ actions.
The announcement was made at a government cross-party transport select committee meeting in which MPs, local councillors and senior environmental figures called for independent “sheriffs” to ensure contractors working on HS2 are kept in check.
By Tom Lowe2021-01-07T06:00:00+00:00
Tory MP tells select committee local sherrifs needed to hold building firms to account
Campaigners have called for the appointment of local sheriffs to keep a grip on HS2 contractors after works for the £100bn railway were accused of creating “complete chaos” in rural communities.
Conservative MP for Buckingham Greg Smith, through whose constituency HS2 runs, told a parliamentary select committee that he wanted to see a localised sheriff in each area of the railway’s route from London to Crewe who “actually has teeth” to hold the project’s contractors to account.
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