People will have less than a month to ask parliament for relief from HS2 after the Hybrid Bill’s second reading .
Campaigners say if the bill passes the House of Commons on April 28, businesses, residents associations, schools, councillors and individuals will have to move swiftly to lodge petitions which will give them the right to be heard in front of a parliamentary committee.
After the second reading, businesses have until May 16 to submit petitions and individuals until May 23.
It costs £20 for a petition which must be handed to parliament in person.
Lottie Jones, chairman of Ruislip Against HS2 said: “These petitions are about negotiation and mitigation.
“If you don’t ask for mitigation and the Hybrid Bill is passed then you will not have a say at all if HS2 start digging up your land.
“It can be anything as little as: ‘If you are going to be sending lorries down my road, you have to pay for my windows to be cleaned each week’, to something as major as asking for the tunnel to be extended under the Colne Valley.
“We have kept up the fight and we have been happy to do that for residents, but this is the stage where we cannot do any more.
“This is the only chance to have your say. We want to ask for the best possible measures to protect our community; that is what it is about,” she said.
Ickenham Residents' Association, Harefield Residents’ Association and South Ruislip Residents’ Association have held or plan meetings to discuss the most effective way for members to petition. Petitioners will then be gathering signatures and support from their neighbours after April 28.
Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre, which will be forced to close when a proposed 3km viaduct is built through its main lake, will be petitioning to extend the tunnel. Successful petitions will be heard by a government select committee in July.
To find out more about petitioning, email Lottie Jones at info@ruislip-against-hs2.co.uk or visit the website ruislip-against-hs2.co.uk .
