Is HS2 just another expensive vanity project?

DOMINIC LAWSON put his finger on the button when he described HS2 as a mad political vanity project, costing the country £100 billion for a railway that barely anyone will use. Here in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, our glorious unspoilt countryside is being torn apart by the diggers. Ancient woods are being uprooted and fields covered in concrete. HS2 provides no benefit for the people living in its destructive path. It’s no surprise that voters in Chesham and Amersham made their feelings known by kicking the Tories out at the 2021 by-election. Never mind Partygate and the unprecedented rise in the cost of living, it’s HS2 that will destroy any chance of the Conservatives forming the next government.

J. BENJAMIN, Weston Turville, Bucks. YET again we see attacks on HS2 from those who don’t understand the project. I spent all of my working life on the railways, so know what I’m talking about.

If you review the major infrastructure projects of the past 30 years, of which the most notable are the Channel Tunnel, HS1 and Thameslink, the benefits have been immense.

We need to stop considering the Elizabeth Line as simply a commuter service and develop its cross country potential. The benefits of HS2 to freight operators and the people of the West Midlands will be significant, in addition to reduced journey times for passengers. Moreover, rail travel will become more attractive as cars are effectively banned from towns and cities, and we become reliant on electric cars that can’t be used for long journeys.

PAUL SEWARD, Princes Risborough, Bucks.

I AGREE with Dominic Lawson that when even rail chiefs are working from home, it’s folly to spend tens of billions on HS2. What a waste of public funds when people are struggling to pay household bills. There is no business case, no need and no money for it. The loss of our beautiful countryside and lack of compensation for those affected is not acceptable.

BARBARA COOPER, Chetwode, Bucks.