Occupation by Sarah Green, 62, later joined by other protesters, is intended to be part of rolling campaign along rail link’s route

A 62-year-old environmental protester has spent more than 20 hours underneath a large digger as part of a new campaign to block the construction of the controversial HS2 high speed rail link.

Sarah Green, a member of the Green party and a businesswoman in Hillingdon, started her protest under the digger, which is to be used for preparatory demolition work, in part of the Colne valley nature reserve at around lunchtime on Monday. Several other activists later joined her under the digger.

As well as wider objections about the ballooning cost of the project, protesters say the work will damage local wildlife. Speaking from underneath the digger on Tuesday morning, Green said she had spent “a beautiful night” there looking up at the stars.

The occupation is the first of a rolling programme of direct action set to take place along the route of the controversial HS2 development, environmental campaigners say.

Green said she and other protesters hoped they would be able to stop it taking place. While parliament has already approved an act for HS2 to go ahead, they hope to capitalise on opposition across the political spectrum.

Activists have circulated callouts on social media for tents, tarpaulins, climbing gear, warm clothes, bedding and food.

Advocates of the scheme say that when it is completed it will be the fastest rail network in Europe with trains able to carry 1,100 passengers travelling at 250mph. However, the cost of the development is escalating and it has been billed as the most expensive railway development in the world. The first phase alone is costing £24bn, which is forecast to rise to £56bn for the whole scheme.



One of the environmental protesters, Pete Phoenix, said: “This development is going to take out a lot of ancient woodland and pollute the water in the lakes in this area. Nobody wants HS2. It’s a Tory white elephant.”

Green said she had complained to HS2 representatives on the site that they had not obtained planning permission to chop down the trees.

However, a spokesman for HS2 Limited said the parliamentary act authorising the development stated that local planning permission was not required for this development.

“There is so much wildlife here,” said Green. “An osprey was seen recently and I saw wonderful bats here last night. I don’t know if they have a licence to demolish this area given that we have so many bats here. We have reported the bat issue to the police because we believe a wildlife crime may have been committed.”

It is understood that HS2 Ltd undertook survey work which did not indicate the presence of bats.

Bailiffs have now surrounded the protesters with a tarpaulin, meaning they are unable to see what is happening. But Green said she could hear cars beeping in support and added that she was determined to go on for as long as possible.

“At the age of 62 this is the first time I’ve been involved in any direct action protest,” she said. “This is the start of the direct action protests against HS2 but there is much more to come.”

An HS2 spokesperson said: “There is an ongoing incident at an HS2 site at Harvil Road. The safety of everyone involved is our top priority.”