High Speed Rail 2: the debate Louise Ellman, Chair of the Transport Select Committee, said there a was "good case" for HS2 and "no better alternative" to the building of the rail link between London and Birmingham. Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said the investment would help end the north-south divide "which has blighted the country for so long." It will also create tens of thousands of new jobs over the next 15 years, he said. In total the proposed rail lines are set to cut through the seats of five ministers and 11 Conservative backbenchers. Cheryl Gillan threatened to resign as Welsh Secretary if HS2 went ahead Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, became the most high profile figure to oppose the HS2 plans in July when he labelled the scheme "perverse" and "inadequate." In a letter to Jerry Marshall, chairman of anti-HS2 campaigners AGHAST, he wrote of "significant environmental concerns," adding: "I am seeking substantial changes in design of the route to ensure these impacts are properly addressed, preferably by tunnelling the whole route through London. Without such changes I cannot support the current proposal. Boris Johnson called the early plans for HS2 "perverse" Natural England, the Environment Agency, English Heritage and The Forestry Commission voiced concerns that ancient forests will be destroyed along with wildlife and habitats. Natural England, the Government's statutory adviser on the environment, says the route will have "a severe, significant effect on the natural beauty of the Chilterns," a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, while The Forestry Commission says at least 125 hectares of woodland will be lost if HS2 goes ahead, including 29 hectares of ancient woods and 13 hectares of woods accessible to the public. Changes were announced today which the Government claimed would prevent these areas from being affected. Chris Castles and David Parish, leading transport economists, wrote a report for the "51m" group of 13 local authorities along the London-Birmingham stretch. They catalogued "a long list of errors and dubious assumptions in the government's analysis" and added: "It is because the government is aware of the weakness in the economic case for HS2 that it and the 'pro' lobby have resorted to vague rhetoric, obfuscation and abuse." Martin Tett, chairman of the 51m alliance, called the plans "an immensely bad decision for Britain," adding "at a time of national austerity with rising unemployment and a massive deficit how can spending more than £32 billion be justified." Emma Boon, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, has been a vocal opponent of the scheme, which it says will be "mostly used by the rich." She said: "High-speed rail (HSR) will leave generations of ordinary taxpayers paying for a train set that will mostly be used by the rich." adding: "We can't afford £32 billion for this project right now. He said: "The Government is ploughing ahead with a hugely expensive project whose economic case is flawed, whose time-savings claims are dubious and whose environmental case is highly suspect."