MP says spending £50 billion hard to justify
Today John Baron MP continued his opposition to the new High Speed 2 (HS2) railway link by voting against the High Speed Rail Bill at Third Reading. HS2 has been in Committee Stage for the past two years, during which detailed consideration has been given to the route and its potential impact on nearby communities. John has opposed the project given its anticipated cost of £50 billion and marginal benefits once completed.
John said,
“HS2 may reduce journey time between major cities, but advances in technology mean travelling time can now be put to good use – and particularly given the advent of fast and reliable mobile data services.”
“Furthermore, evidence from other advanced economies suggests that when high speed rail systems are introduced, they can either adversely affect regional rail systems or centralise economic activity on the capital – or both. Regional economies usually suffer.”
“Overall, the cost is hard to justify, especially as we are struggling to control government spending. Some of the money could be better spent on Defence and on tax cuts for working people and SMEs. Existing rail networks could also be upgraded, platforms could be adapted and trains lengthened – for a fraction of the cost of HS2.”
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