MPs looking into Britain’s rail capacity have said that ‘only High Speed Two (HS2) can create the long-term capacity that Britain’s rail network needs’.
The MPs, from all three of the main political parties, found that alternatives to HS2, such as incremental upgrades to the existing network, ‘will not solve the capacity problem’.
The findings form the conclusions of a report, released today, that is the culmination of a four month inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for High Speed Rail. The inquiry saw submissions from sixty leading stakeholders both within and outside of the rail industry
The MPs found that alternatives to HS2 ‘will not meet demand’. These alternatives, known as Rail Package 2 or 51m’s ‘Optimised Alternative’ would also ‘do little to help local services or freight’.
Graham Stringer, Co-Chair of the APPG and MP for Blackley and Broughton, said:
“The findings of our inquiry completely blow the arguments of the opponents of HS2 out of the water. Claims that we can create sufficient capacity on the railways by implementing piecemeal upgrades of the existing lines have been proved wrong.
“All of the available evidence makes clear that the very running of our railways is under threat as we fast approach total saturation on some of the major trunk lines. We are already seeing passenger numbers that were projected for a decades’ time.
“As a result, the APPG has concluded that HS2 remains the only proper and practicable solution to creating sufficient long-term capacity for Britain’s railways. We couldn’t build it soon enough.”
What a shock, a group of MPs for HS2 produce a report (via Westbourne Communications and the Director of the Campaign for HS2) that comes out for HS2.
I would have hoped RAIL might have noticed that Network Rail said the 51m alternative did meet capacity forecasts in November 2011, something the DfT concurred with in January 2012.
It’s very simple: Govt forecast a doubling of demand, and the alternative give a trebling of capacity.
HS2 has not been remitted properly and the transportation analyses have been simplistic. Perhaps the highest speed was to impress and this did not do so. Lower fares everyone with a seat, large loading gauge freight, new medium commuting journeys. Route 3 does not meet some of these requirements. Parliament is in danger through MPs and specialist interests of building lobbying and carrying out ineffective inquiries. It is to be welcomed Lord Wolfe mentioning the different strengths and weaknesses of different skill sets. Better Britain reappraises what is currently a costly wasteful review of HS2 when there are regional needs, some of which are transportation based to address. HS2 is becoming a significant distraction which has limited contribution to the areas it is going to address. This week DB approved the uses of ICE trains after a 2 year delay. The Pendolino was delayed one year. Delay HS2 take stock of what the problems are to be solved and start with the learnt lesson that HS2 is not the answer also.
Expanding existing capacity can only go so far. HS2 provides far more potential capacity, as well as faster service.
Once every 3 minutes is how the increased capacity is planned to be carried out, judging by how UKU would’ve had a similar number of carriages per train. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with delays, leaves on the rails, or (godforbid) suicide.