UK High speed train gets green light

Will cut 100 mile 160km journey time from London to Birmingham to 49 minutes

The controversial £32 billion HS2 high-speed rail project between London and Birmingham was given the green light by the Government on Tuesday.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening gave the go-ahead to the London-Birmingham first phase of the HS2 line which runs through picturesque countryside. She also announced extra tunnelling to mitigate the worst affects of the line which will see passengers travelling at 225mph as the London to Birmingham journey times come down to just 49 minutes.

This represents the UK’s biggest infrastructure project in modern times, with approval of the first stage of the £32bn high-speed rail line linking London and the north.

Work will start as early as 2016 on the £17bn first phase of the line between London The project, known as High Speed 2, envisages building a second, Y-shaped stage north of Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds by 2032. The trains would run at speeds of up to 250mph.

Trade unionist Frances O’Grady, welcomed the decision, which he said would “prove vital in getting more passengers and freight onto rail, narrowing the north south divide and speeding our economic recovery”.

“With government and cross party support secured, HS2 must be built in a way that maximises jobs and apprenticeships and delivers real benefits to passengers, communities and the environment.”

David Cameron, the prime minister, and George Osborne, the chancellor, see HS2 as an essential infrastructure investment and the most visible sign that the coalition has a positive agenda for Britain’s economy beyond eliminating the deficit.

HS2 was first put forward by Labour in 2010 and has been strongly supported by the coalition Government, the rail industry and big business. The Government has argued that the scheme, including the second phase Y-shaped extension to Manchester and Leeds, will generate £44 billion of benefits to the economy over 60 years.

But local residents in the Chilterns as well as some local authorities and some Tory MPs have been vehement in their opposition to the project which will see the first phase completed around 2026, with the extension north of Birmingham completed by around 2032/33. The creation of HS2 will mean some homes will be demolished and some households suffer from noise.

Other major high speed networks are being built around the world including in China which has been undaunted by the recent disaster: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/1227/1224309521926.html

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Get your copy at a special offer price: HERE