VILLAGERS will hold a public meeting to launch an opposition campaign over controversial Government plans for a high-speed Rail scheme on their doorstep.

Action group Villages of Oxfordshire Opposed to HS2, VoxOpp, is urging anyone who may be affected by the rail proposals to go along to the meeting on Thursday, March 9.

On the agenda will be compensation, concerns about property prices and the launch of a fighting fund.

Banbury MP Tony Baldry, one of the MPs pressing for compensation, will speak at the meeting alongside local councillors and estate agent Michael Grahams.

In January the Government announced it would press ahead with proposals for a £32bn High Speed Rail link between London and Birmingham.

The 250mph trains will skirt villages in North Oxfordshire including Finmere and Mixbury.

VoxOpp spokesman Mark Barton said: “At the moment there is no compensation scheme planned for those who will suffer from HS2, so we are trying to get public support for an MPs’ group working on a compensation scheme.

“We are also trying to inform the local people about the issues of HS2. At the moment people don’t realise how badly they will be affected.”

He added: “Once the environmental impact assessment has been carried out the route of the rail line has the potential to change.

“Even if people think they are safe they should come along so they can find out what actions they may need to take in the future.”

The campaign group will also set out a campaign to fight the proposal and launch an appeal to raise £5,000 so residents can be represented as the bill goes through the relevant stages in Parliament.

The meeting takes place at Brackley Town Hall, Market Place, Brackley, near Bicester, at 7.30pm.

For more information view voxopp.org.uk