The Railway Industry Association has reaffirmed its support for HS2, the high speed railway planned for London to Birmingham, eventually linking through to the North and Scotland.
At the April meeting of RIA’s Council, members declared their strong support for the project and voted for continuing to supporting research promoting HS2, as well as stepping up RIA’s own activities.
They welcomed recent assurances from Secretary of State Philip Hammond MP that funding for HS2 would not be diverted from the existing rail network.
“It is clear that key parts of the existing railway network are approaching maximum capacity and action is needed. This is a once-in-a-century opportunity to launch a step-change to Britain’s transport network,” commented RIA Chairman Colin Walton.
RIA Director General Jeremy Candfield added:
“RIA members have helped deliver numerous high speed rail projects around the world and have seen the enormous transport and economic advantages that they bring. It is high time that Britain benefitted from its own high speed network.”
Dear gentlemen of the RIA, nOne wonders upon what sound and rational basis your Council members have concluded that HS2 is a sound, necessary and appropriate railway scheme for the UK? You cannot possibly have done so on the basis of any independent, evidence -based evaluation of either the Command Paper documentation of 11th March 2010 nor of the Consultation documents released by the Government on 28th March 2011. Both these sets of documents when evaluated on the above basis reveal that HS2 IS A DEEPLY FLAWED, UNECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING AND WHOLLY UNNECESSARY PROJECT THATSHOULD BE SCRAPPED IMMEDIATELY IN FAVOUR OF FAR LESS EXPENSIVE AND FAR MORE WORTHWHILE UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING NATIONAL RAILWAY NETWORK. nnMy own evaluation of the original documents revaled that this was the case and I wrote to Phillip Hammond in June 2010 telling him just so. Further evaluation of the HS2 proposals, as amended for the Consultation phase has revealed a still weaker case than the above, so we now have even less reason to proceed with it. I have not had to change one jot of my original assessment, and I and many others are dedicated to convincing the Parliamentarians and the general public to do the sensible thing in this nation’s best interest and fix the existing railway system. This will result in real, concrete benefits to the widest section of the population and will bring much sorely needed local infrstructure improvements to areas such as the Midlands, the North, the North East, the West Country, Wales and Scotland, not to mention the South and South East. This can be accomplished in a series of area uprgades, whereby the learning curve built up from each successive area’s project can be fed directly into the next one to provide the best value for money overall with work done over, say, the next two decades.nnThis approach will bring benefits to the entire country rather than just to a few businessmen and women and those wealthier leisure travellesr who would make up the bulk of a very, very small fractuion of the nation who would actually use a high speed rail system, if such were to be built. So! think on chaps; change your very unwise stance and do what is best for the nation and not just to fulfill the politicians grand hopes and schemes of glory in Europe!
nThe route for High Speed Rail 2 from London to Lichfield when implemented, will createnan act of cultural vandalism not seen in this country since the Dissolution of the Monasteries.nAs further direct lines through to Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow are built the centralnnervous system of the whole country will be ripped out and yet very few people in thencountry have realised what is happening.nnThe route runs close to some of the most quintessentially English towns and villages ofnStaffordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with hundreds of historic buildings; churches, farms, pubs and country houses; whose settings of peace and tranquility, as well as their fragile foundations will be wrecked by a train in close proximity that will intrude with the unbearable decibels of a low-flying jet fighter. nnNo more will weddings, funerals, christenings and Sunday services in those churches be possible; if these venues are used for concerts, they too will have to cease. Relatives visiting the final resting place of their loved ones, visitors and tourists will all be mocked by this awful indignity. If this nightmare becomes a reality, travelers in the new train will be going too fast to see the irreversible devastation and ruin to our heritage that this brutal proposal will havenperpetrated.nnThanks RIA members, RIP
HS2, quite simply, is an absolute disgrace.
Pbassano – have you been to Kent recently? HS1 disproves your assertions.nWindsor Thomas – We fully understand the feelings of Buckinghamshire residents, but that doesn’t give you any right to dismiss out of hand the considerable work that has been undertaken. Improvements to the existing network are also essential but will never achieve anything like the same benefits.
Of course the rail industry supports HS2. Consultants are being paid vast sums of tax-payers money to promote the scheme. The business case is flawed, the passenger projections are flawed and the estimates are flawed insomuch that they are based on 2009 costs with no attempt to predict the final out-turn cost if the project goes ahead in 2020 or layter. There is a justifiable cause for concern from all affected by this proposed railway, not merely from the local issues but the wider cost benefit issues. The scheme is being pushed by a few in a most undemocratic manner.nnDerek Godfrey