Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones responds to increase in number of homes being pulled down for HS2 line

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones has said she still supports HS2 but '˜not at any cost'.

Her comments come after a new report showed planned demolitions across Doncaster - mainly in Mexborough - were said to be higher than first estimated.

Previously, HS2 bosses said 19 homes were to be pulled down - the majority on the Shimmer estate to make way for a railway viaduct crossing over the River Don.

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But new figures show 52 on the Shimmer estate will be pulled down along with eight on nearby Doncaster Road and several more further up the line.

Mexborough councillor Sean Gibbons said he was '˜livid' at the report's contents and accused HS2 bosses of '˜lying'.

Rail bosses have flatly denied the accusation and responded by saying it was made clear the plans would evolve.

Mayor Jones added the change of route from a Meadowhall parkway station - backed by Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham -  has weakened the economic and environmental impact of the scheme altogether.

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Sheffield Council alongside city business leaders called on the Government to scrap the Meadowhall option and run the line into Midland station.

The Government announced HS2 would run into Sheffield but only on a spur line.

HS2 has outlined six possible locations for a parkway station in South Yorkshire. These include: Clayton, Mexborough and Hickleton in Doncaster along with Bramley, Hooton Roberts and Wales in Rotherham.

But Mayor Jones said doubted if a parkway station would even be built due to spiralling costs of the wider project.

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It's also been claimed by one council source HS2 drew up the line on Google Maps which hadn't been updated - hence why residents on the relatively new Shimmer estate have been overly affected.

Mayor Jones said: 'We do support High Speed 2 - but not at any cost.

'We think the wrong route has chosen and it's not the best economic route. Meadowhall still remains the best option.

'We're still assessing the environmental report that's come from HS2 but we know there is many, many more houses that will fall under the hammer. We need to do the best for all our communities.

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'It's the wrong decision for the environment and for the economy.'

'No one in South Yorkshire had ended up with something they want. Sheffield hasn't got what they wanted and certainly the other three haven't either.'

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