The Spectator magazine are hosting a debate about HS2 on 31st October.
They say:
The government is pressing ahead with an ambitious High Speed Rail service to better connect our largest cities.
It’s a plan that will take 20 years to complete, cost at least £50 billion and wreak havoc in the countryside. Is it worth it? Or is it just a Westminster vanity project?
By 2033, trains and conventional offices could be things of the past. Other countries are abandoning their high speed rail projects. So is the coalition on the wrong track? Should HS2 be stopped now before it’s too late?
£22 – subscribers
£26 – standard rate
Call 020 7961 0044 or email events@spectator.co.uk
Doors open: 6:30pm
Debate starts: 7:00pm
Debate ends: 8:45pm
FOR THE MOTION
Nigel Farage MEP – Leader of the UK Independence Party
Rory Sutherland – Executive Creative Director and Vice-chairman of
Cheryl Gillan – MP for Chesham and Amersham
AGAINST THE MOTION
Matthew Parris – Journalist and former MP for West Derbyshire
Sir Richard Leese – Leader of Manchester City Council
Steve Norris – MP for Epping Forest and Member of the Treasury HS2 Growth Task Force
Venue:
Church House Conference Centre
Dean’s Yard
London
SW1P 3NZ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7390 1590
Web: www.churchhouseconf.co.uk
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GREAT TO HEAR LETS HOPE THEY OPEN THE EYES OF THOSE WHO WISH TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY.
In a paper yesterday—
‘Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin today said there should be no loss of long distance services from stations in the Black Country and Staffordshire – despite official proposals to remove them
The minister insisted to the Express & Star that the £42.6 billion HS2 project will not mean existing services are taken away.”
Surely this can’t be right and its about time they published a full specimen timetable so people can see the real ramifications of this flawed white elephant
We should press for them to do so
HS2 also needs to demonstrate that the existing rail services will still be viable once a large chunk of passengers are transfered to HS2. What little information that has been published shows that HS2 (not surprisingly) will take all the passengers between those cities where they put a station. Now obviously the West Coast Mainline does not solely serve the trips between Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London, but once these movements are taken off the exisitng services, how much subsidy will be needed to replace this lost revenue?