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predicted. There is no clear evidence that it will help to re-balance the economy and reduce the north-south divide. It could do so, but there are no guarantees. The report continues: ‘If HSR is to realise its full potential,


the government’s plans for HS2 must be accompanied by complementary regional and local strategies for transport, housing, skills and employment.’ The plan is for the London to Birmingham section to open in


2026, with a second phase, the Y-shaped extension to Manchester and Leeds, being completed around 2032. The report says it is disappointing that even basic information about this second phase, such as the number and location of stations, is unavailable. The report also found that a high speed line operating at less


than 250mph might offer greater opportunities for noise and environmental impact mitigation, as well as an opportunity to follow existing transport corridors. ‘It is disappointing that a major strategic scheme… is being designed and assessed to a large extent on the basis of the value of travel time savings, which are not universally accepted.’ The report highlights other significant areas of doubt, which


brings into question the whole vision of the Department for Transport. It is not clear how HS2 fits into aviation strategy. Claims that HS2 would deliver substantial carbon reduction benefits ‘do not stand up to scrutiny’. Louise Ellman, the chair of the select committee, emphasised


that her support for HS2 was conditional on it not draining money from the rest of the rail network. ‘HS2 might boost growth but it could also have a substantial negative impact on the countryside, communities and people along the route,’ she said. She added that there was a worry that the government was developing separate strategies for rail and aviation, with HS2 separate from both. ‘A high speed line offers potential economic and strategic


benefits which a conventional line does not, including a dramatic improvement in connectivity between our major cities, Heathrow and other airports, and the rest of Europe. ‘HSR is affordable: HS2 will cost around £2bn per annum over


17 years. Construction of an HSR network should start with the line between London and the West Midlands, as this is where capacity needs are greatest. But we are concerned that, under current plans, HSR lines won’t reach Manchester and Leeds for more than 20 years. ‘The government should also look at options to build southwards


from the north and link to other lines such as the Midland Main Line. We see no reason why the Scottish government should not begin work on a Scottish high speed line, to connect with the English network in due course.’ She added: ‘Investment in HS2 must not lead to reduced


investment in the classic rail network. We call again for the publication of a comprehensive transport strategy.’ That comment was widely echoed in the reactions of others,


across political, geographical and environmental divides. Richard Hebditch of the Campaign for Better Transport said:


‘As the committee points out, HS2 has to be part of a comprehensive transport strategy so that it can play a role in cutting carbon and regenerating local economies in the Midlands and the north. Ministers seem to be using HS2 as a proxy for a national transport strategy, rather than facing up to the tough choices that developing a comprehensive strategy would entail.’ Michael Roberts, chief executive of Atoc, said: ‘A new high speed line is vital if we are to meet the transport challenges that will face


‘The MPs’ approval comes with provisos. It includes a request for both supporters and opponents to stop trading insults and name-calling’


the country over the coming decades. HSR would help to alleviate the capacity crunch on many of our main intercity routes, and would also offer the option for faster and more frequent local services to towns such as Milton Keynes, Watford and Northampton, as space is freed up on existing lines.’ Jerry Marshall, chairman of Action Groups Against High


Speed Two (AGAHST) said: ‘Given the partisan composition of the committee, we welcome the significant number of issues that its report has raised around the fatal flaws in HS2’s business case. These are that viable alternatives to HS2 have not been investigated thoroughly, that the value of potential productivity gains delivered by HS2 have been greatly inflated and, lastly, the technical feasibility of being able to run 18 trains per hour is a risk. This simply leaves the case for HS2 in tatters.’ Alice Bernard, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said:


‘It is disappointing that they have not thought more about putting investment into the existing infrastructure, which would be vastly cheaper and massively reduce the environmental and human costs of the project.’ Ralph Smyth, transport campaigner for the CPRE, said: ‘We


agree with the committee on the need to proceed with HSR but to proceed with caution. The question now is how it should be delivered, not if. We need to ensure HSR is accompanied by wider planning to maximise the long term benefits for the environment and economy.’ Bob Crow’s comment on behalf of the RMT union is perhaps


the most predictable: ‘HSR should be publicly owned and run and free from the greed or privatisation that has wrecked UK rail for a generation.’ Passenger Focus welcomed the finding that investment in


the rest of the network should continue in parallel and not be compromised. Chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘We all want to continue to move around as we do now, have choices about where we live and work and reduce the effect of this mobility on the environment. In order to do this, there needs to be a step change in the space on the rail network for more trains. ‘Construction of HS2 and the spending of large sums of money


are many years away. In the meantime the government’s welcome commitment to more electrification and new trains will help solve more immediate capacity issues in many parts of the country.’ For now, it seems, Passenger Focus is getting what it wants. HS2


is continuing slowly to gather momentum. But the clear warning for Justine Greening, the new transport secretary, is that this grand project cannot in itself be more than a centrepiece of a clear, comprehensive, wider strategy setting out where transport lies in the country’s economic future.


PAUL CLIFTON is the transport correspondent for BBC South: paul.clifton@railpro.co.uk


DECEMBER 2011 PAGE 15


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