Advertisement

  1. National

'HS3' would slash journey times by half

Train journey times between northern English cities could be slashed by half after ministers backed plans for a third high-speed rail line in the north, known as HS3.

View all 11 updates ›

Proposed 'HS3' link a 'costly vanity project'

Credit: PA Archive

Proposals for a third high speed rail link in the north of England are "little more than a costly vanity project, according to a leading think tank.

It would be better to spend money on smaller schemes rather than "creating headline-grabbing policies", said the Institute of Economic Affairs head of transport Dr Richard Wellings.

Dr Wellings, a stern critic of HS2, said:

The proposal for a new high-speed rail link in the north is little more than a costly vanity project.

HS3 is an expensive and inefficient way to link northern cities, which are relatively close in distance.

A high-speed rail line would make little difference to door-to-door journey times for most travellers, northern conurbations being geographically spread out to include numerous different towns.

Rather than creating headline-grabbing policies, Government resources would be better spent on smaller-scale schemes that deliver high returns for the taxpayer, or, that can be financed by the private sector

– Dr Richard Wellings
  1. Read more
  2. 11 updates
'HS3' would slash journey times by half

More top news