OH DEAR, one needs to think more carefully than Ewen Simpson (last week’s Opinion page).

Railtrack themselves offer up to (yes, up to) a 40 per cent increase in capacity by digitising (digital signalling) over the next 25 years.

Traffic predictions (same source) indicate a 100 per cent increase in usage.

“No plans to widen Hartford” – how then to accommodate the traffic when up by 100 per cent, or even 40 per cent?

HS2 would avoid this.

One realises that there will be an impact on farmers and those in the countryside but, with most of it in open country, the disruption will be nothing compared to that, without HS2, a major and complete re-widening would have on those who live by or travel on the existing tracks.

Digital signalling is necessary, yes, but is a massive and safetycritical project (every single power unit has to be upgraded to full ETCS standard and all control systems changed) and cannot be safely introduced without extensive trial and testing – which will take years.

No one wants a hasty result leading to a worsening of the present excellent safety record.

One has sympathy with the countryside argument but realises that safe expansion in rail travel of the scale predicted does require more than just improvements to a 150 year-old alignment.

Support HS2 and make sure the detail meets our local needs – otherwise someone unfamiliar with us will decide them.

“Anonymous”?

Not surprising given the reply – and in answer to your question, ‘no’ I don’t have any direct interest in HS2.

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