News on HS2 in Northants

Our Community & Environment Fund (CEF) has provided £10,000 towards the cost of two new bus shelters in Farthinghoe, following a successful application from the village’s Parish Council .

The new shelters will replace old wooden structures that have served the community for more than 40 years. The new weather-resistant shelters will keep passengers dry when it rains and shaded in the heat of the summer sun.

The shelters are fitted with two seats, a space for a pushchair or pram and notice boards to help keep the community up-to-date with local news and events. There has been a positive reaction within the village to the installation of the new bus shelters and it is hoped more residents will be encouraged to use the bus service in the future, especially as it now gives direct access to the newly established Brackley Medical Centre & Hospital.

Since our Community and Business Funds were launched in 2017, eighteen projects in Northamptonshire have shared over £825,000. Projects have ranged from village hall restoration to providing new playground equipment in areas that may be disrupted by the construction of the new high speed railway.

Community and Business Funds

With construction of HS2 underway, applications for the funds are still being welcomed. Our Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) for Phase One are worth £40 million. They give local communities and businesses disrupted by the construction of HS2 the opportunity to receive funding of up to £1 million for projects to improve their local area or support their local economy.

The Funds for Phase One, independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK, support urban and rural, community, environmental and business projects. For more information on Groundwork and the funds, including how to apply, visit https://hs2funds.org.uk/ . You can also watch our short videos which explain how to best demonstrate that your project meets the criteria for the Community, Environment or Business Funds.

If you have any questions about the Community and Business Funds, HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk .