Message from the Stone Railway Campaign Group (SRCG):

You may know that HS2 Phase 2a (Birmingham to Manchester via Crewe) will be located to the west of Stone. But did you know that HS2 Ltd. is proposing to locate a major Railhead facility between HS2 and the M6?

This will cover a large area of land and run parallel to HS2 and the M6 for 2 miles between Stafford Services and approximately 1/2 mile north of Yarnfield Lane.

If you live in Stone, Yarnfield, Eccleshall, Swynnerton, Cold Norton, Norton Bridge, Chebsey, or the neighbouring villages or hamlets, the Stone ‘railhead’ will affect you because it is proposed to:

• Be used as construction facility (Railhead) for nearly 7 years and be retained as a permanent maintenance facility (IMB-R)
• Use Yarnfield Lane and Eccleshall Road (B5026) to access the site by road from the A34
• Create a new railway access for delivery of bulk materials from the Norton Bridge to Stone railway, starting from the edge of the Fillybrooks

HS2 will also run an a new embankment up to 10m high above Yarnfield Lane, which will mean that you will be able to see it, hear it, feel it, depending on where you live and which roads you use. It will also cross the A34 at Yarlet, Eccleshall Road (B5026) and the A51 near Swynnerton and the combined disruption threatens to cut our community in two.

The SRCG is determined to work proactively and positively with HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport to obtain the best outcomes for the people of Stone and the surrounding area, together with HS2 Ltd and other stakeholders.  With this in mind, the SRCG have the following goals:

• Achieve the re-siting of the ‘railhead’ away from Stone
• Failing to re-site the ‘railhead’
  • To mitigate its impact on the area
  • Achieve the realignment and rebuilding of Yarnfield Lane before any construction work is undertaken. It is essential to have daily through routes available throughout the project.