Stop HS2 camp launched at Crackley Wood in Kenilworth

Stop HS2 banner put up at the Crackley Wood protest camp

Members of the group set up a similar camp late last month at the Cubbington Wood in an effort to stop works with the high-speed rail HS2 from felling any of the trees in the ancient wood.

Since the protest camp started officials with HS2 announced work will be deferred for five of the 11 ancient woodland sites impacted by the rail until early 2020, including Crackley and Cubbington Wood.

Instead, they will continue preparing work sites and hold off on removing trees until at least 2020.

Beginning of the protest camp at Crackley Wood in Kenilworth

On Friday October 11 members of the Stop HS2 Campaign group received notice vacate the property occupied by campers inside a fenced-off area in the Cubbington Wood.

Kenilworth resident, Joe Rukin who is the Stop HS2 campaign manager, said campaigners had "no intention whatsoever" of leaving the Cubbington Wood campsite.

Joe added: "This is not a court order. It's just signed by the solicitors.”

Less than 24 hours after the receiving the notice vacate by signed by lawyers for HS2 members of the Stop HS2 Campaign group had set up another camp at Crackley Wood on Saturday.

Eevee the dog who belongs to Joe Rukin, the campaign manager for the Stop HS2 group

Joe said: “We have taken the notice to vacate South Cubbington Wood very seriously. So seriously, we've decided to set up a camp at Crackley Woods in Kenilworth as well.”

The group is looking for volunteers to join a rotation of people camping at the site each night of the week. Three to four people have camped at Crackley Wood each night so far.

Matt Bishop, with the Walk the Line - Stop HS2 group who organised the Cubbington Wood Protest Camp, said: “Cubbington is growing every day. We are environmental conscientious objectors trying to prevent what we see as environmental crime.”