The Best Guide for the NN12 Area

Government Promises Referendum On HS2 If Petition Gets 100,000 Signatures

The HS2 demonstration in Brackley recently when the Minister Philip Hammond visited.

HS2, the proposed High Speed Rail Link that is threating parts of South Northants won't go away.

Hilary Walton told AboutMyArea/NN12 "What you may or may not know, is that there are seven existing transport corridors North from London already, and the new scheme does not run along any of them.

"Upgrading old lines for faster trains would be much more cost effective and mainly avoid some of the last few parts of the Southern countryside to be destroyed.

"If this appeal gets 100,000 signatures on the following petition, then the government have agreed to have a referendum on the scheme. (After only a few days there are already over 4,700 signatories). 

"Remember the power of the internet and email.

"If just 20 people get another 20 people, and they 20 and they 20, that's just 160,000! Easy really!! So please open up your contacts list and send off as many as you can; you'll be surprised how many and who will sign up!

"I realise for many of you, the effects of this proposition are distant and will not affect you; unfortunately for great friends and so many others in the area, this is not the case, as the proposed route cuts farms in half and so will directly impact on their lives. Other people locally are much worse affected and for some the route goes directly through their houses.

"For any of you apathetic towards the matter, I implore you to sign the petition anyway, it takes hardly a second and will be such a great help.

http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/stop-hs2/sign.html

"For more ongoing information also go to:- http://www.stophs2.org/
 
"We all know that the government cannot afford the current estimate of £25,500,000,000, or in modern day parlance £25.5bn, outlay just now and that such sums could be spent far more effectively elsewhere.  The sum is so mindboggling that when the cost overruns come in, as they inevitably will, another Billion here or 10 there will just wash over us"

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Comments

cheshire_guy

At 18:11 on 4th October 2010, cheshire_guy commented:

"Upgrading old lines for faster trains would be much more cost effective".

I'm sorry but this is just untrue. The West Coast mainline is already reaching capacity so introducing fast trains will not solve any problems. As for adding capacity, stations such as Liverpool lime street can not handle longer trains, the only solution is to have more trains running, which using the current track is unworkable.

A new track would free up space on the overcrowded west coast mainline for more services to run from the North.

A high speed service and extra track is of National importance. The only other alternative is a new runway at Heathrow and for us all to fly, and that just isn't practical.

Also one final point, is that Network rail have stated for years that upgrading the West coast mainline would cost many more billions than the £25 billion proposed. The WCM runs through some of the most crowded urban areas outside of London. It cost £12 billion and took over 10 years just to make it so trains could run at 125 mph on the WCM.

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