HS2

So today details were announced for the High Speed Rail Route Phase 2 and the cost a whopping £32Bn!

So the details:

 

The First Phase Route goes from London Euston through Birmingham and the Second Phase goes North of Birmingham splitting; with one route going to Manchester via Manchester Airport and the other through Toton, Sheffield and ending at Leeds.

 

Birmingham to Manchester will have a journey time halved to 41 minutes.

Manchester to London will take 1hr and 8 minutes an hour of the current journey time.

Birmingham to Leeds will be cut from two hours to just 57 minutes.

 

Trains will travel at up to 250mph.

 

So all good for those that travel between these cities, right?

 

The argument:

Predicted economic benefits have been overestimated by the government.

The countryside will be significantly spoilt by the high speed line.

Thought that the North will not benefit from the new link as it will see people travelling to London and not in the opposite direction.

Extremely expensive at £32bn!

The Line is only set to open in 2032!

The journey time between cities is already generally short!

The money could be invested in other areas of the railway.

Critics claim it will only be used by the rich and not benefit the majority of taxpayers who will never use it.

 

My opinion

I think the government should not spend money on this scheme which is reducing journey times for an already relatively short journey. The money should be invested in areas of the railways that need it the most! For example, the train line I use quite often from Clitheroe to Manchester is always busy and overcrowded with commuters travelling to Manchester and shoppers at the weekend. Money should be invested in lines like these that connect the smaller towns to the cities, with more carriages on trains, new and modern trains that don't brake down and don't just look like buses! The train time for a relatively short journey takes 50minutes from my home town to Manchester Centre. If this was reduced with newer, faster and more frequent trains it would economically improve the smaller towns in the North with vital improved links to the city. It would also reduce traffic problems for those that travel by car into the city. There is so much more potential in these lines and on occasions have had many more people on them than I have ever seen on Mainline trains. Improving the journey times and experience of travelling on these lines including improving stations and parking would see them used much more and reduce traffic on our roads. Okay so yes, it will create jobs and we'll get some swanky new trains and stations, and Manchester Airport will probably benefit, but £32bn to reduce such little time off a journey on a route that is relatively reliable at present? This money can be spent on the smaller lines that the majority of people use. I'll still have to use the crappy little trains to get to one of these new lines. These need improving more!

 

The Scheme has been widely criticised by many but will the voice of the taxpayer be heard?