Government has released an outline route for High Speed 2 the rail route between London and Birmingham.
The opposition prefer a different route with a station at Heathrow airport, so the route is really only a proposal in the event that Labour party win the election.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8564154.stm
See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8561286.stm
The main need is to relieve congestion on the existing route, but also it would reduce journey times. Further extensions to Manchester and Leeds would be planned later. Eventually there would be connections, probably not mostly new build to Newcastle and Glasgow.
No stops are planned between Old Oak Common (change for Heathrow on the Heathrow Express/Crossrail and Birmingham airport. One wonders whether the final scheme might have other stops if local people lobby strongly.
The Tory route (not published) would go via Heathrow but the extra cost and time penalty on trains have yet to be exposed.
There are expected to be protests about going through the Chiltern Hills populated by many wealthy people (think western Connecticut). However, much of that part of the route would be in a tunnel.
The opposition prefer a different route with a station at Heathrow airport, so the route is really only a proposal in the event that Labour party win the election.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8564154.stm
See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8561286.stm
The main need is to relieve congestion on the existing route, but also it would reduce journey times. Further extensions to Manchester and Leeds would be planned later. Eventually there would be connections, probably not mostly new build to Newcastle and Glasgow.
No stops are planned between Old Oak Common (change for Heathrow on the Heathrow Express/Crossrail and Birmingham airport. One wonders whether the final scheme might have other stops if local people lobby strongly.
The Tory route (not published) would go via Heathrow but the extra cost and time penalty on trains have yet to be exposed.
There are expected to be protests about going through the Chiltern Hills populated by many wealthy people (think western Connecticut). However, much of that part of the route would be in a tunnel.
