Joe Rukin of Stop HS2 described high speed rail as a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem
Photo: PA/HS2
By David Millward, Transport Editor
Britain’s high speed rail network is lagging behind Morocco and Saudi Arabia more than 100 business leaders have said in a letter in The Daily Telegraph today.
They have urged the Government to press ahead with its own project for a new high speed line.
The signatories, who include leading employers in the North and Midlands, warned that Britain “lumbers behind’ other parts of the world who already boast a substantial network.
Britain currently only has 70 miles of high speed track, running from St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel.
Japan and France have thousands of miles between them, China has 10,000 miles of high speed track and even Morocco’s network has reached 422 miles, while Saudi Arabia boasts 342 miles – nearly five times as much as the United Kingdom.
Later this month Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, will announce whether the Government will proceed with the controversial project which would see 250mph trains hurtling through the swathes of Chilterns en route to Birmingham
The plans, which would eventually see a network extending from to Leeds and Manchester before potentially running north to Scotland, has faced strong opposition from a number of Tory MPs, including several ministers, whose constituencies are on the route.
The letter’s signatories include Steve Scrimshaw, managing director of Siemens Rolling Stock; John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce; Colin Matthews chief executive of BAA and Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of the Stobart Group.
They say the project, would strengthen Britain in the global economy.
“As business leaders and job-creators, we recognise that Britain’s poor infrastructure is a major obstacle to our future long-term growth prospects..” they wrote.
“The absence of a high-speed rail line, connecting the northern parts of the UK to London and the European Union, is a continuous embarrassment to those promoting British business overseas.”
However Joe Rukin of Stop HS2 disagreed, describing high speed rail as a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem and called for the upgrading of the existing network.
“This is simply a much better option than building the fastest, most expensive railway in the world.,” he said.
High Speed Rail does nothing for the vast majority of rail users, but they will end up having to pay for it and we know the final cost will be well above the £33 billion price tag.”
