Letter: There are bigger priorities than proposed high-speed rail link

It makes sense for the HS2 scheme to be shunted into a siding for the foreseeable future. The estimated cost at the moment is in the region of £50 billion and almost certainly likely to rise before the scheme is completed in around 2025.

The upgrade of the West Coast Main Line from London (Euston) to Glasgow around 15 years ago was forecast to cost no more than £2 billion. The final figure was in the region of £8 billion and the line was restricted to 125mph instead of the anticipated 140mph, in order to reduce the cost of the scheme.

It makes sense for the money set aside for HS2 to be used to implement a long-term plan to prevent flooding. As part of the scheme, additional reservoirs could be built to retain water in those areas which are susceptible to flooding, and then the water could be released, as required.

It is down to a question of priorities, HS2 has to be a second class option, and something which may be desirable but not likely to provide value for money in either the short or the long term.

It has to be easier to cope with less frequent train service from Birmingham to London, than with excess of water due to flooding with its possible long-term effect on homes and businesses.

HS2 was never about reducing the journey time from Birmingham to London. The main aim was to increase the capacity of the line by enabling reduced journey time. Greater capacity could be created by increasing the length of platforms (where possible), longer trains, reduced first class capacity and consequent increased standard class, and improved signalling.

If the British Railways Board was still in existence, HS2 would never have been considered. BRB did what was best for the overall railway structure.

The electrification of the Crewe to Wolverhampton line via Shrewsbury could have been such a scheme. It provided a diversionary route in case of locomotive problems.

Terry Davies

Ellesmere