Thanks Moth for expressing it all so clearly. People get the democracy they deserve, or struggle for.

The democratic struggle against the delay has been a total failure. Last December they finally admitted the damage was ongoing. So delay = damage and the failure to shake them out of their bureaucratic torpor HAS resulted in extra damage. Public pressure DOES matter.

Now, there's a second chance to apply democratic pressure constructively. They intend to tunnel yet they haven't shown why. (If anyone here can show otherwise the meeting can be cancelled). The sole point of the meeting is for EH to show the public the reasons why tunnelling is best. A simple democratic obligation. Numbers one, two and three on our democratic wish list ought to be presentations by top independent structural specialists stating that in their considered opinion tunnelling is the least damaging option. As Peter said, much has been said by EH but the clear recommendation of the only people who are truly qualified to make the decision is entirely missing. For tunnelling to go ahead without that would be a disgrace to democracy and mustn't happen.

I, and perhaps others, and perhaps everyone, is entitled to be bitter. This meeting hasn't been offered as a gift to the nation nor as a response to a perceived democratic obligation. It's happening solely because HA and others called for it and it's been extracted like pulling teeth. At the very last minute. Only when tender documents for tunnelling will have been sent out. It isn't being widely publicised, it was originally scheduled for a venue that housed 30 people and a niggardly 120 minutes have been granted (from which lizard talk must be deducted no doubt). In all the circumstances, sniping at HA's efforts or implying that the meeting is unnecessary implies that it doesn't matter at all that the public isn't told, in Moth's words, "why they're choosing a method of repair that from their own reports (once you get to look at them) seem to be unnecessarily invasive and unnecessarily expensive." (To which I'd add - and apparently involves extra damage by a factor of TWELVE. Read the reports).