HS2 – spend £33 billion and don’t decarbonise

At last week’s debate, Dr Julian Huppert, the Cambridge LibDem MP, said “but I would hope that all hon. Members agree that decarbonising domestic transport is a crucial measure that needs to be taken and that modal shift is important in achieving that.”

If the hon Members agree that decarbonising domestic transport is a crucial measure, then they should unite with MPs like Andrea Leadsom, Dan Byles and Chris White to oppose HS2.

HS2’s paltry amount of modal shift, with just 6% of passengers having transferred from air won’t help decarbonise transport. And that’s what HS2 Ltd say – like the former transport secretary Philip Hammond – that HS2 will be carbon neutral.

Some people seem to think that in spite of Britain’s commitment to the Kyoto protocol to reduce carbon emissions and in spite of the £33 billion price tag, that HS2 should go ahead anyway.

A big infrastructure project, taking decades and paid for by the taxpayer – which will not achieve the stated aim of the current Government?

Surely the best way a new Transport Minister can show her commitment to the carbon issues is by canceling HS2.

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