A YouGov public opinion poll undertaken last week has found that nearly two thirds of the public oppose money being spent on the planned £32 billion high speed rail link between London and Birmingham (HS2). More information here.
64 per cent of those surveyed in the poll believe that it is wrong to spend money on the proposed line at this time. (In June this year 48 per cent of respondents to a YouGov poll for the Tax Payers’ Alliance were opposed to plans to fund what will be, per mile, the world’s most expensive railway.)
While supporters of HS2 believe that it will help close the North-South divide both regions are already united in their opposition to it. 62 per cent of Northern respondents; 64 per cent of those surveyed in London and 66 per cent of respondents in the South think that it is wrong to spend money on it at the current time.
Despite the Scottish Government’s enthusiasm for the line, 70 per cent of Scottish respondents are opposed to HS2. Perhaps most interestingly, respondents from the Midlands and Wales, the region that takes in Birmingham where the phase of the line will terminate, came out 64 per cent in favour of shelving spending on the project.
Commenting on the survey results, Jerry Marshall, Chairman, AGAHST, said;
“The tide has turned, and HS2 is now opposed by voters across all party lines. It is clearly the wrong priority in the eyes of the majority of the public, with only a quarter of the population still supporting it. It is time for the Government to think again and tackle our country’s real transport priorities.”
If you want to show your opposition to HS2, please buy the Dirty Mavis track, the Old OAk Lament (Did you stop the HS2). Details of how to buy are here and include download direct to your mobile phone (not iPhone) by texting TRACK 7655 m to 80818 or from Amazon 69p per track.