According to a recent statement by Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport, “HS2 is a vital part of the infrastructure overhaul that this government is delivering so that our country can compete in the global race.”
The transport secretary also revealed that he expected the price tag for the controversial HS2 high speed railway network to have escalated by £10bn, or 30%, to £42.6bn because his Department forgot to include the cost of the trains!
Roger says: “I think most other people would appreciate trains that run on time, rail fares that don’t keep on rising and somewhere to sit down rather than some race for global domination. As with most major government projects this particular extravagance just got a lot more expensive.”
He concluded: “There is a lot of talk about ‘hard working families’ and the ‘squeezed middle’ but most people will be scratching their heads in wonderment as to how a government can find an extra £10billion for HS2 in the same week as Chancellor George Osborne announces cutbacks in public services of £11billions.
HS2 Hansard Debate, 26th June 2013

This article appeared in the June edition of Roger's newsletter 'Postcard from Parliament'