Campaigners see hopes dashed as government prepares to back first stage of �32bn HS2 high-speed rail network
The lingering hopes of campaigners of blocking the proposed high speed rail route from London to Birmingham appear to have been dashed after a Network Rail review concluded the alternative options would mean more overcrowding, works and delays.
The transport secretary, Justine Greening, is expected to give the go-ahead to the first stage of the �32bn HS2 network as soon as MPs return to parliament on Tuesday, confirming the route.
She has apparently accepted the conclusions of the review, carried out by Network Rail, of two separate proposals to increase capacity on the existing services. Both, it says, would be costly, cause substantial disruption and be only a short-term solution.
Campaigners believe longer trains, additional services and some extra tracks would mean enough seats on trains. Network Rail says neither proposal would meet its forecast demand.
The review examined both the Rail Package 2 scheme favoured by groups including Stop HS2, and an alternative put forward by the 51m group of councils led by Buckinghamshire county council. While it conceded both alternatives would deliver some improvement, it also claimed they would slow down some existing mainline services, limit freight traffic, and make the network even less reliable.
Network Rail's conclusions will further harden the government's support for the scheme in the face of opposition from Tory heartlands. Although much local opposition in the Chilterns is down to fears of disruption, noise and a blight on rural landscapes, the campaigners believe the economic case has yet to be made.
For the Department for Transport, the arguments for a different approach to upgrading the infrastructure appear to be over. A source said: "Network Rail has carried out a sober and independent analysis ? and concluded that patchwork upgrades will not resolve the huge capacity challenges we face.
"Our plans for a new high speed rail network would increase hugely the number of seats ? as well as freeing up space on current railways for more trains to operate and all with minimal disruption."
A Network Rail spokesman said: "In just over a decade the West Coast Main Line, Britain's busiest and most economically vital rail artery, will be full. The alternative schemes to HS2 would come at a heavy price in terms of disruption to passengers and the wider economy."
Both would leave commuters unable to board packed trains on the southern end of the line, he said.
The London-Birmingham route is due to be launched in 2026. The government is drawing up plans for the second phase linking Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds by 2032.
In a further co-ordinated show of support more than 100 business leaders, 28 economists and the leaders of trade unions representing 1.5 million workers urged Greening to press ahead. The scheme also has the backing of rail union leaders.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/06/london-birmingham-hs2-rail-link
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