The HS2 debacle – sadly – seems to sum up how badly Britain is broken.
The plan to build a high-speed rail link from London to the North of the UK was always going to be beset by controversies – over destruction of homes and serious damage to the environment.
But either build the damn thing or don't.
What we're left with now, it seems, is all the misery and uncertainty and negative impacts... without any of the benefits that might have accrued.
All we'll have is some sort of high-speed rail link between Birmingham and the London suburb of Old Oak Common (where? I hear you ask) plus some close-to-worthless promises about improving transport in the North.
When I visit my adored city of Naples, I like to take the train from Rome. The high-speed option does somewhere between 180mph and 200mph all the way, with no messing about. It's a fantastic ride. If it can be done there (and in so many parts of Europe), why not here?
I don't have room for all the answers... and anyway you can probably put them together yourself.
Which reminds me: my series See Naples and Live was among the most-read pieces on this blog, so I hope to be posting others soon with See Naples and Live More.
No comments:
Post a Comment