Resist obscene waste of HS2

Published: 7 July, 2011

• THANK you for the comprehensive coverage by Richard Osley to Camden's united political opposition to the proposed HS2 from Euston to Birmingham (United front on HS2 link, June 30).  

While you reported the core part of our all-party statement, you omitted any reference to a key section: “…the ill-thought through single-track connection between HS1 and HS2 (with unproven demand), which has been added at the 11th hour, would operate to the detriment of existing Overground rail and freight services on the well-used North London Line”.

Readers may not be aware that HS2 Ltd cobbled together its plan to link HS2 with HS1, from Primrose Hill through to the Eurostar tunnel under Islington. While it’s only about two kilometres it’s cack-handed and would cause chaos because it is proposed to run along the existing Overground route. It entails rebuilding seven railway bridges over our roads, nearly all of those that run north/south through Camden, and the move of both of the platforms at Camden Road station. And even after those works it would still entail running on the existing Overground and freight track. 

Transport for London Overground has recently published its own damning views: “It would also impact on the reliability and performance of London Overground services and limit the potential for future enhancements in capacity and frequency on this line… Analysis undertaken by TfL London Rail suggests that a maximum of one high speed train per hour per direction could use the link with no new infrastructure on the North London Line (NLL). This view is supported by Network Rail. This frequency is severely at odds with the HS2 Ltd aspirations of running up to three trains per hour, per direction along the link. Even with this sub-optimal solution, there would most likely be considerable performance issues on both the NLL and HS2 services. TfL believes that if a link between HS2 and HS1 is to be provided then this should be delivered in a way that does not impact on current London Overground operations or prevent future enhancements on this line taking place”.

So if HS2 proceeds as planned, it will inevitably impact on our much-improved and much-loved Overground service and its construction would have a hugely disruptive effect across the middle of the borough, particularly from Camden Lock to Camden Road. It’s an obscene waste of money that would destroy communities in Regent’s Park estate and Drummond Street and for what? One HS2 train per hour and emasculation of the Overground’s future potential. 

The HS2 consultation is open until the end of July at: http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/have-your-say

CLLR PAUL BRAITHWAITE
Lib Dem spokesman on Transport and Sustainability

Olympic test

• THE “green” claims of the proposed high-speed rail line from London to Birmingham have been shown to be illusory – it is also massively destructive. 

It wastes resources for the benefit of an élite, when the same resources used differently could greatly improve the lives of vast numbers of people.

It overrides the interests of many ordinary residents in Camden; and the main beneficiaries include large corporations and their fat-cat bosses.

Hence it is heartening to see your report (United front on HS2 link, June 30) that Camden councillors of all parties are opposing the plans.

But that leaves an unsolved mystery.

Since every one of the above criticisms of the rail plan is also true of the plans for the London Olympics, why aren’t all the councillors sticking up for their local residents over this issue too? 

Instead, they show every sign of wanting to facilitate the Olympic bosses’ takeover of chunks of the borough like an occupying army, when they should be resisting it in all possible ways, in support of their constituents.

ALBERT BEALE
Little Russell Street, WC1

No thanks to Manchester

• “Their lawns or our jobs” says Manchester. 

For people living around Euston it’s “Our homes, your white elephant”.  

People in the north west may feel that Euston is a good destination for this line but where do you want to go? 

Brixton?  

Walthamstow?  

If you took the line to St Pancras or King’s Cross it would connect with six tube lines, Thameslink, HS1, and International services. 

If you took the line to Waterloo (Ken Livingstone’s proposal) it would connect, underground, with two tube lines at Euston, an additional tube line at Tottenham Court Road, as well as the new Crossrail and on to Waterloo for yet another two tube lines, services to the south and south east and, of course, there is the disused International connection (services to Germany have been mooted). 

Euston gives you two tube lines and services back to where you came from. So. No Manchester, I do not want HS2 in to Euston. 

GEORGE CURLEY
York Way, N7