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High speed rail


HS2 is a divisive topic in the UK and is certainly experiencing some teething problems, says Dave Richardson, but we still have a need for speed


FASTTRACK


NOW THAT THE PROPOSED routes of the High Speed 2 (HS2) extension to Manchester and Leeds have been published – with journey-time savings for other cities throughout the Midlands and North – it’s a good time to reflect on what already happens in other countries, both in Europe and worldwide, and what might happen here. We will have to wait until 2026 until the core HS2 route from London to Birmingham is open, and


another six years until it reaches Manchester, Leeds and intermediate stations at East Midlands (for Derby/ Nottingham) and Sheffield. But if the success of HS1 is repeated, it will be worth waiting for. High-speed rail is generally considered to be at a cruising speed of 300kmh (187mph), the norm for the many new lines that have been built in France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Our only existing high-speed routes, HS1, links London to the Channel


Tunnel and connects us to the ever- expanding European network, with Eurostar now dominating business and leisure traffic between London and Paris/Brussels. Rail is now the default option for


many business journeys in Europe, as explained by Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT). Vincent Lebunetel is senior director of the firm’s consultancy service, CWT Solutions Group. He says: “Looking at CWT figures in the UK, compared with France and


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