Will HS2 end up being a white elephant?

THOSE living along the proposed route of HS2 and the route to the North would welcome a campaign against the destruction of our countryside and monstrous waste of money when hundreds of other UK problems needing funding have been sidelined.

dAVid HArVeY, chippenham, Wilts. NORTHERN business leaders, councillors and mayors agree we need HS2 and investment in road and mass transit schemes for city regions. Why should middle-class taxpayers in the North be asked to give up one of these projects, as has been suggested by the TaxPayers’ Alliance? As a director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, I know Northerners are not going to stand for cancelling HS2 to pay for schemes to impress Tory leadership candidates or Conservative members in Buckinghamshire who don’t want this rail link in their backyard. We want the full plan put together by Transport for the North, which represents every council in the North of England. Spending up to £120 billion up to 2050 in city regions across the North is what it will cost to do everything needed, as well as HS2.

Henri MUrison, Manchester.

IT’S been suggested that to save money on HS2, the speed of the trains could be reduced. But the whole reason for this costly project is to save time travelling between London and Birmingham.

BriAn Best, Hazlemere, Bucks. NOT only is HS2 a waste of money, but it bypasses Birmingham airport, which could be expanded rather than building a third Heathrow runway. p. cHArLesWortH, pershore, Worcs.

HS2 will destroy 43 ancient woods. How can we allow this desecration of our green and pleasant land? k. BisHop, Birmingham.