Government high speed rail plan ‘total nonsense’
26.01.11
Sir David Rowlands, the former chairman of High Speed Two project and current chairman of Gatwick Airport, is to attack the coalition Governments policy on opting for high speed rail links today, saying that it is ‘total nonsense’ and 'ludicrous' that a 250mph high speed rail link can replace extra runway capacity in the already clogged South East.
Sir David, a former permanent secretary at the transport department, will make a speech at the Transport Times aviation conference today, in which he will will say that ‘there is no evidence that a rail route from London to Scotland can solve capacity problems at Britain’s congested airports,' adding: ‘Business can’t get to China by train; and this is where the business is.'
Responding the Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond's assertion that high speed rail links will make a major difference to airports in the South East of England, Sir David said the government lacked ‘evidence or analysis’ to support its position. He added: 'This government doesn’t even have a strategy; it’s ludicrous. There is no evidence or analysis to back the government’s policy. The government is sitting on its hands while passengers suffer'
‘A link to Heathrow does little for the high speed network and the network doesn’t do much either for Heathrow. What is a fact is that it is total nonsense to suggest building a high speed network means there is no need for more runway capacity in the South East.’ Sir David also dismissed the idea that regional airports would soak up the the overspill from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted because they are already ‘busy enough’.
Theresa Villiers the Aviation Minister responding to Sir David Rowlands comments told the Guardian: ‘The success of high-speed rail across Europe has shown how much links can cater for journeys that had previously been dominated by aviation. That is why our commitment to a high speed rail network was a factor in the decision we made to reject a third runway at Heathrow.’
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