Boris Johnson must put a stop to the wasteful vanity project of HS2

SIR – Simon Heffer (Comment, February 2) is right. If the Prime Minister gives the go-ahead for HS2, it will be a serious error of judgment.

High-speed rail services are suitable for vast areas such as the continent of Europe, where speed is of the essence – but for our small country they are an unjustifiable expense. Instead of trying to save a few minutes’ travel time at enormous cost, it would be far better to update existing tracks and services, particularly in the North. This would also prevent any further desecration of our cherished countryside, and the upheaval caused to households and businesses on the HS2 route.

If the costs of past major projects, such as Crossrail, are considered, the estimated £106 billion for HS2 is likely to double again before completion in 2040 (assuming it is completed by then). Despite numerous attempts to reduce the cost, the estimates continue to rise. It would have made sense to put the work on hold pending the final decision, but it has continued – incurring billions without any track being laid. This scheme is a political vanity project and should be cancelled forthwith. David Morgan

Shrewsbury

SIR – Andrew Rossiter (Letters, February 2) says his daughter rents a small shared flat in London, since home ownership is almost impossible there, and suggests that HS2 would allow her to buy a property further north, from which she could then commute to London.

Isn’t that the problem with HS2 – that it focuses on London? Shouldn’t we be trying to create a more prosperous Midlands and North, so that Mr Rossiter’s daughter could both live and work in these areas? Dick Sawdon Smith

Reading, Berkshire

SIR – Mr Rossiter’s proposal does not add up.

His daughter’s mortgage repayments might be more manageable – but what about the likely enormous cost of an HS2 season ticket? Jenny Macdonald

East Peckham, Kent

SIR – Rather than wasting billions on a vanity rail project, we should spend the money on transforming our potholed road network, which is a national disgrace and a growing hazard for motorists. Ian Mackintosh

Northampton

SIR – It is worth remembering that, when Isambard Kingdom Brunel set about building railways, ships and much else, he sought private, not public, investment. He bet his shirt on his projects – and sometimes he lost.

Where is the private investment for HS2? The unacceptable thing about the Government’s backing for this project is that the taxpayer will foot the ever-growing bill. No wonder the cost is jumping by the billions. Philip Congdon

Poyntington, Dorset