Actually it doesn’t.
After all the hype from Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary, about high speed rail, the long awaited announcement has come that we are going to accelerate to become a nation linked by the fastest trains we have ever had. And to save 20 minutes to an hour or whatever it will be, it will take 7 years before construction can begin and the first phase will be completed in 16 years.
This isn’t so much high-speed rail as tortoise speed government.
If a high speed rail service is so useful or valuable why oh why must it take seven years to decide? That takes us through one and a half parliaments. Two opportunities for potentially different governments to redesign and monkey about with it.
“Experts” say it will bring jobs, generate regional growth and provide opportunities for visitors to have an alternative to flying.
Given the timescale how can anyone be enthusiastic? If there were enthusiasm on behalf of the government, they would implement it faster. That’s why I can’t get any enthusiasm myself. Remembering how long it took for crossrail to be agreed, I will wait to tell you about how it will spread tourism out from London when it happens.
But by that time, I’ll probably be pushing up the daisies!