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I see his point, which is very valid in the time we're living in right now - but the thing is that by the time construction is starting, we'd be out of the current financial difficulties. I do think the current AA-Roadmaps with lines drawn in showing the route on the DfT's website don't really show us the best route available though - if any HS2 were to operate, surely St.Pancras would be the best choice of London terminal so that potential services could connect us to other European cities?

But I do think we should perhaps look at connecting Wales and Scotland up to a better rail network first - as the chap Jeffery Quoted had observed a number of times in his letter to the Mail, we should look to invest in the current system - and I think we should probably be looking at cutting down the journey times between Edinburgh and Aberdeen - because at that distance it really shouldn't be taking two and half hours between the two cities - by intercity services no less!

I do however value time above money - because in this life, time is all we have. We never really do have money, because money is an exchange system, which looses all value if it lacks the 'exchange' part of it's very being.

I have a lot of respect for the letter though - because it isn't the nimby's making up invalid, random arguments which spiral into an out of control ravings of lunatics, but somebody who has sat back and taken stock - and perhaps construction of HS2 should sit it out until other issues are resolved on the current rail network - bear in mind, introducing in-cab signaling could mean faster operations on our current mainlines from 125mph to 140mph or 150mph - bear in mind some Japanese Shinkansen routes run at 152mph, so that wouldn't be too bad.

As I've said before, in-cab signaling also means no copper wire cable thefts from signals - because there wouldn't be any. Plus, the time saved off of mainline routes would have it's uses to the majority of those who commute and use our rail system on a daily basis.

There'd not be a hole in anybody's pocket for too long a time either - selling off all of the copper wire after introducing in-cab signaling would probably prop up the cost for it's introduction.

HS2 is a good idea at some point though - perhaps if not HS2 whilst a HS2 system costs are in it's Billions, then the above changes implemented on our network could mean waiting for a more efficient - and even higher speed mag-lev system, bringing speeds of around 500mph, once such a system developed on the scale of the proposed HS2 was brought down from the trillions to the billions level? To answer that question though, you need to ask 'Do we need HS2' prior to it's immediate construction.

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Yes it is, that's one of the reasons why trains are so "popular in my country".

But is it really necessary to be able to travel from Birmingham to London in 45 minutes. Perhaps the government want to turn Birmingham into a commuter city for London. Goodness knows how many folks would be able to afford the cost of a season ticket if this were the case.

How long would it take to drive by car from Brno to Ostrava. I believe that there is a motorway for most of that journey.

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A report in the Guardian says the Department of Transport has miraculously found £500 million to spend on 1.5 miles of tunnelling through the Chilterns so as to preserve an area of outstanding natural beauty. Yet more money the country cannot afford or is the BOE going to start printing monopoly money to pay for this ludicrous scheme.

Ah, yes! But you overlook the fact that the spending is in the backyard of the overprivileged conservatives. Different rules, old boy!

Wongie2009 wrote:Are you saying a Taxi would be faster than a Train between the two cities?

I once caught the night sleeper from Durban to Johannesburg. A bicycle would have been faster. A 300 mile journey took 18 hours and you missed the nice scenery going through Natal because it was a night with no moon. Dawn came and we were up on the reef where it is flat like Norfolk, only bigger.

The past few winters have meant bus journeys from Bradford to the village where I live takes 3 hours - only 1 bus per direction per day, for a distance of 10 miles!

Complain to the bus driver, and s/he just shuts the bus down and stares at you!

I'll stick with my car and the trains, thank you!