WILDLIFE campaigners in Yorkshire have criticised the Supreme Court’s rejection of a legal bid by opponents of the HS2 rail link to force more scrutiny of the plans.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust claims two important sites in the county will be harmed by the proposed high-speed route, which is intended to connect to the East Coast main line through a spur at Church Fenton.

Dr Rob Stoneman, the trust’s chief executive, said: “The Government must begin to communicate a compelling and ambitious vision for how HS2 will benefit nature and people’s connection to it, not simply focus on capacity, jobs and journey times.”