HS2 faces logistical problem
The director of Greengauge 21, the not-for-profit organisation which researched and is developing the region’s proposed high-speed rail (HS2), has told Insider one of the main logistical problems with the project is the route of the line. “Everybody wants a station, but nobody wants a line," said Julie Mills. She added the main driver behind the project is “capacity, as well as speed”.
It was revealed recently that the current high-speed rail proposals will bring £1.5bn to the West Midlands' gross domestic product (GDP) and create about 22,000 new jobs when they come to fruition, according to recent reports from public transport authority Centro.
The economic benefit to the region’s GDP comes combined with a package of improvements to local infrastructure and transport services planned by Centro.
“The main driver behind the project is capacity, as well as speed,” explained Mills. “Current forecasts predict that, by 2030, our rail network will be running at capacity, which is unfeasible.
“With HS2, we have the potential to operate 14 trains an hour, vastly reducing the burden on our current transport infrastructure and delivering substantial economic benefit to the region.”
