Flawed plan will create two-tier rail network (From Bucks Free Press)

Flawed plan will create two-tier rail network

11:11am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Your Letters

I AM astonished, but not surprised, that the Government has taken the misguided step of approving the HS2 rail scheme.

This is a short-sighted and costly scheme that will take 15 years to complete.

The unproved economic and social benefits which the scheme claims to bring do not merit the irreparable environmental damage which will be caused through higher energy consumption, noise, CO2 emissions and biodiversity loss.

There is a strong case for enhancing the capacity and performance of Britain’s inter-city rail network, but the HS2 proposals are costly, flawed and a wasted opportunity. It would be far better, and more cost-effective, to spend some of that money on upgrading and improving the existing rail infrastructure. HS2 will be a slightly faster, yet very expensive rail service, which will create a two tier rail network in this country.

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England