CAMPAIGNERS will hold a new public meeting to continue their fight against the HS2 high-speed railway scheme as David Cameron’s stepfather-in-law condemned the £32.7 billion scheme.

Transport secretary Justine Greening confirmed this week that the HS2 link between London and Birmingham would go ahead.

But as the dust starts to settle the Government faces mounting opposition from residents and councils along the planned route, which skirts villages in North Oxfordshire including Finmere and Mixbury.

Campaigners are set to stage a public meeting and 51M, a group of local authorities, will decide within weeks whether to mount a legal challenge.

But more publicly damaging for the Government was the criticism in The Spectator magazine of the scheme by Lord Astor, a Conservative peer and stepfather of the Prime Minister’s wife Samantha.

He said the plan was backed largely by “northern Labour MPs who relish the thought of the beauty of the Chilterns being destroyed”.

He said the need for the £32.7 billion scheme could be bypassed by modern communications.

Lord Astor, whose family estate is Ginge Manor near Wantage, said: “There is a perfectly viable alternative, which... would be much cheaper and faster to take effect, without destroying a whole swath of countryside, ruining the lives of thousands.

“Have they not heard of Skype and the Internet?”

He urged Ms Greening to compare HS2 with cheaper options, and spend the savings on other transport needs.

Two campaign groups have also criticised Ms Greening after she refused repeated requests to meet them and discuss their concerns.

Bernie Douglas, chairman of Villages of Oxfordshire Opposed to HS2, VoxOpp, said the group had asked her for a meeting several times and had been refused.

Asked if the fight was over, he said: “Absolutely not.”

Mr Douglas said the group was in talks with Bicester MP Tony Baldry over its next step and would hold a public meeting soon.

Campaign group 51M, made up of 18 councils from along the route, said it was also refused a meeting with Ms Greening.

Chairman Martin Tett, who is also the leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, said the group would meet soon and decide whether to press ahead with a judicial review.

There is a pot of cash for a fighting fund, in the region of £1m, contributed by the councils, including £50,000 from Cherwell District Council. Oxfordshire County Council is an associate member but has not contributed any cash to the fund.

A DfT spokesperson said the Government spoke to almost 30,000 people during a series of public events along the route during the consultation.

He said: “A new high speed rail network will provide Britain with the additional train seats, connections and speed to stay ahead of the congestion challenge and help create jobs, growth and prosperity for the entire country.

“It is not a decision we have taken lightly.”