HS2 is "failing to respect the human rights" of local people according to a disgruntled Balsall Common resident.

Sheila Cooper labelled the high speed rail developers as bad neighbours and said they were leaving local people 'miserable' and 'frightened'.

Her stark words came at a meeting of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council's HS2 implementation advisory group as she called on councillors to stand up to plans to send 400 lorries a day through Balsall Common.

"They and their contractors are failing to respect the human rights of residents to live their lives in peaceful enjoyment of their homes and possessions," she said.

"The day to day lives of affected residents in Berkswell and Balsall Common are miserable and fraught with danger."

Having already had an application for a haulage route through Balsall Common rejected by SMBC, HS2 has resubmitted its application with additional traffic calming measures.

These include a mini-roundabout and 20mph speed zone on Waste Lane.

But Mrs Cooper said lorries already passing through the village were leaving residents "frightened" and "at risk".

"All families, but particularly those with young children, are frightened by huge lorries passing in close proximity to their homes every few minutes.

"One distraught resident described to me this week how she worries for her life and that of her children every time she necessarily reverses out of her driveway.

"The safety of local residents is at risk every few minutes, every day which is, by any standard of right and wrong, unacceptable. No one should have to fear daily for their lives and the lives of their children."

Mrs Cooper also said that constant HGV's using the country lanes would continue to cause damage, costing more money to fix.

Adding that it was time for the borough council to make a stand against HS2.

"Affected residents are now saying enough is enough.

"I am saying enough is enough.

"SMBC is democratically responsible for us and accountable to us. As council tax-payers we are telling SMBC and HS2 that quiet acceptance is no longer an option."

(Header image by John Winder via geograph.org.uk)