The final question in the Birmingham Post's HS2 survey asked respondents for additional comments on the proposed high speed rail link between Birmingham and London.
Here are a selection of the comments received.
Survey comments in favour of HS2:
“Without it Midlands will decay further. UK becoming only European country with no high speed network. Motorways already at capacity.”
“Links from Curzon Street to the centre and other transport links need careful thought. At the moment few western city bus routes pass anywhere near New Street station and this makes life difficult for passengers with luggage. Connections at the join between the Birmingham spur and the main HS2 line also need to be carefully timed to avoid losing the benefit of the faster journey time. The whole journey must not take more than 1 hour 22 minutes from New Street or there will be no benefit. Price will also be a big factor in who uses the new line.”
“I think the people opposing it are just concerned about their lives in the countryside being disturbed and do not seem to care about the overall interest of the community and the need of development of the whole West Midlands. If this does not go ahead, Birmingham will continue to lose influence and ground to the benefit of other cities like Manchester”
“Get on with it. Don’t let articulate property owners who already have a comfortable life stop the rest of the country from growing and letting the people of the West Midlands benefit from this vital scheme.”
“It would be fine if it was not going to sap every other rail improvement for years. It’s ok in itself.”
“It should be planned to provide direct train services to the continent via the Channel Tunnel”
“The vast majority of people opposing it are ‘Nimbys’. Whilst I can sympathise with them, they must not be allowed to ruin the future economic development of the West Midlands, East Midlands and north of England.”
“We need to build HS2 as soon as possible otherwise the UK economy will suffer. People that oppose HS2 are far too short-termist and are unable to see the future benefits of HS2 not just to Birmingham and the north but the UK as a whole. If we don’t build the first and most controversial stage then the line can never be extended north.”
“There needs to be a direct link to HS1 and the Channel Tunnel. They shouldn’t try to do it on the cheap: it must be done properly.”
“Ideally the line into Birmingham would not be a spur but the actual route with trains heading to Leeds via Washwood Heath and to Manchester via tunnels and out through Wolverhampton. I accept the cost would be high but that would anchor Wolverhampton to the HS system and would provide the best service to Bham since every train could stop”
“The most important thing is jobs”
>> Next page: Survey comments opposing HS2
