Letters: Is saving minutes worth £34billion?

Jul 28 2011 Buckinghamshire Advertiser

IT is probably fair to say most of us would like investment in our railways. But at what price?

Do we really think people want to travel from London to Birmingham 20 minutes faster and pay through the nose for the privilege? Especially in this age of advancing communications technology.

The government has already spent £22million promoting HS2.

They have told us they have diverted £750m to spend on the project and they are spending it right NOW.

They say HS2 will cost £34bn overall. Since when has the government ever got its estimates right?

This means that every family in the whole country will contribute well over £1,000 each towards the cost of HS2.

Is this not money that ought to be spent on libraries, the hospitals and our armed forces or even, dare I say, on new trains? There are claims that HS2 will create many new jobs. Is this really true?

This is the week when thousands at our only train manufacturer, Bombardier, have lost their jobs just because the government needlessly awarded the contracts overseas.

People should challenge what the real benefits of HS2 will be.

Ask people from Land's End to John O'Groats and challenge residents in minister's constituencies:

Is this really a sensible expenditure of your money ?

Ask all taxpayers, IS HS2 WORTH IT?

Please tell your friends to tell their friends to complete the HS2 consultation and sign the petition. Get your family to spread the word. We have until July 29 to do this.

Act now! Sign the petition at www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/ stop-hs2/sign.html#se.

ANDREW BAND HS2 White Elephant Walk

Co-ordinator Wendover