The shelving of the eastern leg of HS2 (Report, 18 November) should lead to questions about the viability of the entire scheme, particularly the western leg to Manchester, but also the white elephant of the Curzon Street terminus in Birmingham, isolating HS2 from the rest of the network and badly connected with the city’s existing rail network. The north of England needs urgent investment in the regional and interregional networks, not this ill-conceived scheme that could well do more harm than good to the north’s economy, sucking wealth to the south-east. Contrary to what Labour and some “red wall” Tory MPs seem to think, HS2 is hugely unpopular in the north and its demise will be welcomed.
What’s needed is further electrification, capacity improvements (which HS2 will not deliver, contrary to the hype) and selective reopenings of lines and stations across the north.
Prof Paul Salveson
Bolton, Greater Manchester
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