CAMPAIGNERS against the plan to build a high-speed line through the Chilterns have delivered a petition containing 104,000 signatures to Downing Street. Stop HS2 campaign co-ordinator Joe Rukin said: "There is simply no case for HS2, environmentally or economically." The anti-HS2 lobby maintains the project will be a 'white elephant', but Transport Minister Theresa Villiers backed HS2 to defuse the "passenger capacity time bomb" on the West Coast Main Line and denied that the scheme was "only" about cutting the London to Birmingham journey time to 49 minutes. Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said the project was "absolutely vital for economic growth outside London." Its spokesman, John Lamb, said that as many as half a million jobs could be created. Professor David Begg, Director of the Campaign for High Speed Rail, said:"Let's not allow the twisted distortions and short-term nimbyism of those opposed to the line to derail the project. If we do, we will only be revisiting these discussions in 10 years'time when it will be too late."
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