HS2 Myths - Myths Exposed

Most of this work has been coordinated by HS2 Action Alliance and their summary is shown below:


HS2 is 'green' -  it is part of the low carbon economy
UNTRUE Even the DfT sasy it doesn't reduce CO2 emissions (and the way they do their sums gives an underestimate); 400km/h trains use over 4 times the power of 200km/h
HS2 will deliver wider economic regional benefits and more jobs
UNTRUE DfT/HS2 Ltd do say local transport improves (worth £3.6bn) but this is from freed existing capacity not high speed connections (worth just £8m say HS2Ltd); the 10,000 construction jobs are an itinerant migrant workforce (like HS1)
HS2 is a sound investment - over £2 benefit for £1 cost (NBR*=2.7)
UNTRUE Commercially it loses money (25.5bn costs, less £15bn fares) and depends on non-priced time-saving benefits (that are overestimated): all driven by huge projected increase in demand (267%). Real NBR will be lucky to reach 1
Only a new railway solves the rail capacity problem
UNTRUE We can get 65% extra capacity with just extra rolling stock on WCML** and massive potential on Chiltern. Also DfT's own alternative to HS2 (RP2) debottlenecks existing WCML, delivering capacity by running more trains (for just £2bn and a better (3.63) NBR). And everything can be done incrementally - not relying on long-term forecasts.

* NBR = Net Benefit Ratio
**WCML = West Coast Main Line

The Government has now changed its position

Following the submissions by HS2 Action Alliance, the Government has effectively acknowledged that the business and environmental cases are unjustifiable. They have now changed their stance by saying that HS2 should be implemented on the grounds of "National Interest". They have not yet announced the criteria on which a national interest project can be judged but this will clearly form a significant part of the debate during consultation.


WHO WE ARE WHAT WE ARE DOINGMEETINGS
THE GOVERNMENTS CASE FOR HS2THE HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMROUTE 3 & MAPSNEXT KEY STAGESPROPERTY BLIGHTENVIRONMENTAL BLIGHT
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