HS2 for Waterloo is not on

Published: 13 May, 2011

• SO, ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone wants to send the controversial £30billion High Speed Two (HS2) rail link to Waterloo.

His plans are ill thought out and could easily be rubbished by a political rival. 

First, Mr Livingstone’s plans would mean an Underground station for HS2 trains at Euston (thus creating a double-deck station), already dismissed by the Department for Transport as prohibitively expensive. 

A second cavernous HS2 station at Waterloo would be at least the same cost as an Underground HS2 Euston. 

Thirdly, the new commuter service would only work if it went north of Euston and south of Waterloo; for example why take the Northern line tube from north London to Euston, then change to take the relatively short distance the rest of the way to Waterloo on this new service? 

Fourthly, the interchange idea at Tottenham Court Road Crossrail is unnecessary; the current HS2 plans will interchange with Crossrail at Old Oak Common. 

Fifthly, the main reason for HS2 is to connect provincial locations to London (Euston) and the continent (best done by the connection at Primrose Hill); there is less of a need for a high-speed railway south of Euston and the capital. 

Finally, property would need to be demolished for the emerging Waterloo tracks somewhere if he indeed wants to extend HS2 tracks to surface and south of Waterloo. 

ZACHARIAS BOMBASTA
NW1