Sir, Camilla Cavendish identifies a shortcoming in HS2 strategy (“The runaway train link is on the wrong track”, Opinion, June 30). But, rather than being too expensive, we believe the plan is insufficiently ambitious.
Britain needs a full Anglo-Scottish high-speed line linking Scotland with London and Europe. England’s main cities would all benefit. Network Rail’s New Lines appraisal in 2008 confirmed the viability of such a line. The DfT’s HS2 proposals are welcome but need to be extended to include Scotland.
While Home Counties residents believe they live in a “dense little Britain”, it’s worth pointing out that Inverness is about 650 miles from Dover, and that rail journey times from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London would be cut from 4 hours 30 minutes to under three hours by an Anglo-Scottish HS2 line.
Our association has no objection to the high level of funding being given by UK taxpayers to big rail projects such as Crossrail and Thameslink in London. But misleading and selfish attempts by the nimbys of Buckinghamshire to blockade Britain will only increase the “North-South divide”.
Dr John McCormick
Chairman, Scottish Association for Public Transport