HS2 protesters in Swynnerton claim tunnelling record

Protesters refusing to move from a tunnel at an HS2 building site claim they have set a record for the time spent underground.

Activists at Swynnerton, Staffordshire, moved into the structure on 10 May when bailiffs tried to evict them.

By Friday, they had spent 46 days there and the group believe it is the longest time protesters in the UK have spent in tunnels.

It comes as the government looks to ban the act of tunnelling by protesters.

HS2 Ltd said it was carefully monitored the air quality and pumped in additional air when needed, but urged them to end their protest.

About 40 people were living at the site just off the A51, demonstrating against plans to cut down ancient woods to make way for the line, when evictions began.

HS2 in turn has said it will create new wildlife habitats and plant thousands of extra trees along phase one of the route between London and Birmingham.

A handful of protesters remain in the tunnel, defying calls from the firm for them to leave.

An expert in removing campaigners from underground protests has questioned why they are still there.

Peter Faulding runs Specialist Group International and said he had been involved in clearing man-made tunnels for decades, including the Newbury bypass protest in 1996.

"An operation like this would have taken probably around 10 to 12 days. It's now been 46 days, and they're still down there," he said.

"This is costing the taxpayer, probably around £50,00-£60,000 a day."

A spokesperson for HS2 said it was the efforts of its staff and the emergency services which had "enabled the safe conclusion" of other HS2 protest camps.

In November 2021, HS2 protesters in Buckinghamshire remained underground for 28 days, while the last person was finally removed from a tunnel near Euston after 31 days.

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