HS2 via ECML??

[eMeS]

Does this guy have a point?

Being an MEP I've never heard of him, and he seems to have left his interventions somewhat late, and perhaps he's seeking a change in constituency to somewhere in The Chilterns ...

But, perhaps with suitable links N and S to Birmingham, Manchester etc. he might get some support.

 

[bluenoxid]

Not really. The line will pass through a lot of very profitable arable land if it follows the ECML.

 

[Aictos]

Yes he does have a point - the existing bottlenecks on the ECML are not likely going to be resolved anytime soon and it would be easier to build HS2 if it's redirected for the reasons this MEP has stated.

I wouldn't mind a Class 395 template but to InterCity specification, would be a worthy successor to the giants of the Eastern region from the A4's to the Deltics to the HSTs to the 91s.

 

[swt_passenger]

No he doesn't have a point. The primary purpose of HS2 is to relieve the WCML, not to provide a link from the northeast to Europe.

This was clearly established in early 2009 by Adonis, and repeated by Hammond in Jun 2010, when they added the requirement to consider Heatrow and Old Oak Common.

 

[SwindonPkwy]

In his own words, HSR should link the UK's major population centres; and yet he wants to miss out Birmingham and serve Manchester via York.

I think he must have interests in the Chilterns.

 

[tbtc]

Hmm, Tory Euro-MP comes up with conspiracy about the Big Bad European Union? Tsch...

These proposals serve EU connections well but do nothing for Wales and the West Country

...whereas running London - Grantham - Newcastle will help Wales and the West Country how exactly?

The real aim of a British high speed rail network should be to link major centres of populations around the UK together in order to stimulate economic growth regionally, to replace highly frequent short haul air flights and to attract people out of their cars

Yes, Which is why HS2 is intended to run London - Birmingham - Manchester/Leeds (etc) rather than running via Grantham and Retford

He also claims that his case is strengthened by the fact that the ECML is generally flatter, straighter and less urbanised that the large conurbations on the West and North West of the UK

Does he not understand that his "less urbanised" route through the east of England fails to serve the "major centres of populations around the UK" he mentioned previously? Is it just me?

Plus, if you think going via Birmingham is a convoluted way of going from London to Leeds, here's a guy who wants the London - Manchester service to run via *York*...

Maybe an eastern England version will happen one day (I can see the logic in a fast flat line running via Stansted - Cambridge - Lincoln - but HS2 is just the next step in the High Speed journey, and it makes sense for it to serve the biggest places.

I'd like a fast alternative to the M1 running via Nottingham and Sheffield, but realistically you have to serve the biggest places. And Grantham isn't on that list...

 

[philjo]

It would need to be an additional line built at a later date, rather than instead of it - providing a solution to the Welwyn problem. Also, the Cambridge/Harlow M11 corridor is a major growth area at the moment & a lot of new housing is being built in this area.

The Eastern HS line would need to serve Stansted airport so taking those passengers to/from London off the existing west anglia route & a spur into Cambridge would take a lot of the Cambridge/Kings Lynn passengers off the ECML, giving the ECML more capacity for serving Hertfordshire stations (i.e. thameslink services).
A spur would need to go off after Stansted to link with the Norwich line (or run via Ely.
How far north it runs would depend on needs after HS2 is built - probably initially if it goes past Cambridge & bypasses Peterborough (with a spur) to join ECML north of there would suffice to begin with but the land north is flat (other than the Grantham area) so would be fairly easy to extend later on to meet HS2 in the Wakefield or York area if needed.

 

[pablo]

He's a bit confused isn't he?
".. what is being offered here is not a national British high speed national rail network but a very expensive branch line from the EU high speed rail network, forming part of the EU’s ‘Trans European Network’ (TEN), with the core aim of linking parts of the EU together."

Wouldn't be a bad idea if HS2 actually achieved that. But it won't with a single track connection taking 3tph.
He's posturing but badly briefed.

 

[dalmahoyhill]

he's a euro MP for East of England. I suppose its quite refreshing for an MP in the south to be lobbying for HS2 to come through his constituency rather than coming up with hoary old refutable 'facts' like RP2 is some missed panacea, to try and the scheme canned.

Yes, I agree his logic is muddled. HS2 as it stands is a good compromise and covers all the major centres and capacity pinch points.