A Birmingham City Council survey which claimed to uncover strong support for high speed rail was based on only one per cent of people whose views were canvassed saying they backed the scheme.
The poll of people living along the planned HS2 line through Birmingham was condemned as misleading and “shockingly biased” by environmental campaigners.
Council leaders published the results with supportive comments from Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.
Mr Hammond said the survey showed residents could “see beyond the sensationalist scaremongering” of HS2 opponents.
But Birmingham Friends of the Earth claimed the survey was manipulated to exaggerate support for the scheme.
According to a council press release, 53 per cent of those who responded to the survey fully supported HS2.
But Birmingham Friends of the Earth spokesman Joe Peacock pointed out that the survey was tagged on to the end of a six-page circular praising high speed rail.
The document claimed that 250mph services between Birmingham and London would benefit the local economy by £1.5 billion and create 22,000 jobs.
It added that HS2 would be good for the environment because “there is no pollution from high speed trains along the route as they are powered by electricity”.
Respondents were invited to tick one of three boxes, either fully supporting HS2, opposing the scheme, or supporting it with reservations.
Out of almost 30,000 leaflets sent to people living within a mile of the route, 600 people replied – a response rate of just two per cent.
Of those who replied, 330 backed HS2 – one per cent of the total number of people surveyed in east Birmingham, where the track is set to run through Washwood Heath and Nechells before terminating at a new station close to Moor Street.
Mr Peacock said: “This was one of the most biased surveys we have ever seen, based on a propaganda sheet purporting to give facts about HS2.
“It is a shocking example of the council appearing to consult but actually setting out to gather evidence to back high speed rail.”
Mr Hammond insisted the council poll complemented Department for Transport findings that five times as many people are in favour of HS2 as are against it.
