Outdoors somewhere... I campaigned for over a decade to try and stop HS2 and get better environmental outcomes for the project
england
Joined August 2011
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mop denson retweeted
HS2 was a white elephant from day one. A colossal waste of taxpayers’ money.
I said from the start the costs were absurd.
Back in 2019, I launched a report from the @the_tpa proposing much better ways to spend the money.
Instead, we've got spiralling budgets, gold‑plated design, slack oversight, and no accountability.
Billions sunk for a line that keeps shrinking.
The very definition of inefficient, ineffective, and unaccountable infrastructure spending.
This new review does not surprise me.
It simply confirms what we already knew – HS2 was a disaster baked in from the start.
thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…
mop denson retweeted
HS2: my piece in today's i on how to stop the bleeding. Could putting HS2 Ltd into administration let us break the contracts that are sucking taxpayers dry, and negotiate better ones?
inews.co.uk/news/how-to-fix-…
mop denson retweeted
"Nature does not block growth – it is the very foundation on which growth is built." says Joe Keegan, public affairs officer at The Wildlife Trusts in the run up to the Chancellor’s speech this week.
Find out more about: wildlifetrusts.org/news/myth…
mop denson retweeted
In response to today’s announcement, @JoanEdwards1, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at @WildlifeTrusts cautions: “Reeves seems unaware of the vital role nature plays in the UK, despite her goal to become ‘Britain’s first green chancellor’”🧵1/4
mop denson retweeted
Bats or great-crested newts? "Neither because I want growth" is simply one of the stupidest, immoral and most dismal political answers ever. I'm #teambat #teamnewt #teamhuman #teamhabitableplanet This story I wrote over the weekend has been cheering me up theguardian.com/world/2025/j…
mop denson retweeted
Inaccurate coverage about Natural England’s involvement in the development of HS2's bat tunnel.
Read more: naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2…
📷 (c) Daniel Hargreaves/www.bats.org.uk. @_BCT_
ALT A Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii) in flight at night time. The bat's wings are stretched wide and the thin bony arms and legs are visible. Ivy is growing upwards on the left of the image and the branches of a tree can be seen on the right. The photo is credited to Daniel Hargreaves whose name is written on the image. Image was provided by the Bat Conservation Trust and it cannot be reproduced elsewhere without the prior permission from the Bat Conservation Trust.
mop denson retweeted
Have you heard of concerns expressed by HS2 about the obligations & responsibilities it has to comply with environmental laws & the protection of rare species? If you have, then you might like to know about @NaturalEngland’s response to the claims made.
naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2…
mop denson retweeted
I’m forever struck at how those leading environmentally sensitive development projects so readily resort to blaming for wildlife law & regulators for their huge cost overruns. Natural England didn’t require this particular design. It was the choice of HS2
amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/…
mop denson retweeted
A pleasure to visit @roalddahlmuseum in Great Missenden earlier to meet with their Director Steve Gardam. Such a fantastic facility to visit for families and school trips alike. Great to hear about their plans to expand this wonderful Bucks attraction.
mop denson retweeted
#HS2 is a scandal which has consequences for all UK taxpayers.
Where is the accountability? There ought to be a public enquiry.
#PANORAMA
bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0…
mop denson retweeted
🚅Should the DfT review the business case for Phase 1 of HS2?
🚆In our session with Transport Secretary @Mark_J_Harper it was indicated that a reappraisal will be produced following the decision to scrap Phase 2.
📺Watch the session in full here: parliamentlive.tv/event/inde…
mop denson retweeted
This week the Boards of @NaturalEngland & @The_MMO met in Newcastle, where we signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reinforce our common goals & ambitions for marine Nature recovery. Integrated action needed with fishing, renewables, blue carbon, minerals, navigation & more.
mop denson retweeted
Important that we visited the site to hear concerns and understand the cause of it and plans to keep the public safe.
mop denson retweeted
HS2 in the spotlight last in today’s #LordsQs, at 3.35pm @TonyBerkeley1 quizzes government on inaccurate cost estimates.
📺 Watch online at the link in our bio
4/4
ALT HS2 costs, Lord Berkeley, transport graphic
mop denson retweeted
🚨🚨
- cost of the remaining stretch of HS2 from London to Birmingham has jumped by a fifth from £45bn to £54bn in just 4 months
and that’s just in 2019 prices
- in today’s prices the figure is more like £68bn according to @ft calculations
ft.com/content/34355227-b73f… via @ft
mop denson retweeted
Another opportunity to speak of the need for a land use strategy/framework. Otherwise we go on forever with binary arguments (e.g. Nature v food, solar v crops, homes v greenbelt, turbines v open country, trees v food)
This Post is from an account that no longer exists. Learn more
mop denson retweeted
Several reports today dismiss greenbelt as ‘scrubland’, the implication being that development on such land is better than what’s there now. Truth is that expanding scrub is one of the quickest ways we can make progress for Nature recovery. Quite worrying
dailymail.co.uk/news/article…
mop denson retweeted
Very excited to share that I'll be a presenter on @8outof10bats!
I'll be highlighting some of London's wonderful urban wildlife, and I'm proud to be part of a cast including the amazing @ChrisGPackham
@MeganMcCubbin @GreenFGeorge
@GreeneIndy @Lucy_Lapwing @citygirlnature
There appears to be an autumn-shaped gap in our calendars this year , introducing @8OutOf10Bats – coming soon to a screen near you !
mop denson retweeted
"@RishiSunak also mentioned new roads. Assurances are rapidly needed that they won't harm vital nature areas and align with commitments to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030 and reach Net Zero, as part of a sustainable transport strategy" 🚲👇wildlifetrusts.org/roads (4/4)