Written evidence from Pamela Taylor (HSR
89)
HIGH SPEED
TRAIN
I feel extremely angry that the Government are considering
a high speed train to operate between London and Birmingham when
all public services are being squeezed, stretched, reduced and
shelved. It will be many years before our economy starts to grow
and improve, yet Ministers are considering spending billions and
billions of taxpayer's money on a project that is not necessary
and is being built on a false premise. I am sure all those loyal
soldiers, airman, sailors, nurses, policemen and local government
employees who are about to be made redundant will be thrilled
to learn that their lack of a salary is helping to fund a project
that will not benefit them in the slightest. It is a kick in the
teeth and the Government should be ashamed.
2.1 The need to travel by train for business
or personal use is that of choice taken by the individual. But
the need to export and import goods, which have an economic value
to GDP, to and from Port is by and large limited to road and rail.
Unless HS2 can effectively carry freight then the excessively
high cost of this proposed train will be an extravagant vanity
project that will benefit the few and not the many. I think one
major road in particular needs consideration. The expansion of
the A14 has effectively been shelved due to the current economic
client, yet Felixstowe Port Authority is building a deep water
container bay to accommodate some of the world's largest container
ships, which inevitably means more containers to be transported.
A minimal amount of those containers will travel by rail, a vast
majority will use the A14, yet the government is reluctant to
improve this road, relying on a private funding initiative which
may never happen. It is vital that consideration is given to what
is more important to the economic wellbeing of the UK: a high
speed train that reduces travel time by a mere 11 minutes [Birmingham
to London] or keeping our imports and exports moving that will
benefit our GDP? Should it be decided that HS2 will carry freight
it will have absolutely no benefit to the many haulage companies
that rely on the A14 for business, and it is both naive and wrong
to believe that HS2 will solve all our transport problems. £1.2
billion will improve the A14. £17 billion rising to £35
billion will reduce one journey by 11 minutes! HS2 is not a proven
case.
5.1 The north south divide is an interesting
question. What exactly is meant by the north south divide? Is
it a cultural identity, a social or economic barrier which sounds
patronising and meaningless in this multicultural country in which
we live? How will HS2 bridge this divide if it really does exist
or is it a phrase that currently suits politicians as a justification
for this proposed high speed train? To justify this expensive
project the cost of tickets must be affordable to everyone and
not just to the business traveller. Unless the economy greatly
improves over the next few years, small to medium businesses will
not be able to afford to pay for expensive train fares when it
is more economic to travel by car, and the same will apply to
the individual traveller. HS2 will not bridge gaps, real or imaginary.
A recent public consultation in the north of England carried out
on behalf of Action Alliance were not concerned with the north
south divide concept but coined the phase fast train for fat cats.
5.4 It would be unacceptable to ask local authorities
to contribute to the cost of HS2 when they are under extreme pressure
to reduce their working budgets which has an impact on all local
services. The condition of roads in and around my locality of
South Northamptonshire is a disgrace which Government should be
ashamed. Given the choice of decent roads that are safe to drive
on, or a very expensive train that will benefit no one in South
Northants, it goes without saying that the repair of roads would
win hands down. I feel very strongly that Government should get
its priorities in order and think about what is more important
to both the voter and taxpayer. Is HS2 a priority? definitely
not.
11 April 2011
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