HS3 - Save 20 Mins from Manchester to Leeds for a few £Billion

[KeithD]

Who the comes up with these stupid ideas? One minute the government is moaning about having no spare cash, and then it announces absolute stupid things like this.

HS2 and HS3 are a total waste of money.

[Trefor]

Simple. Big infrastructure projects employ people and keep the country ticking over. Also, this is not really about saving x minutes from A to B, it is about expanding capacity in general. Our railways are overloaded on the main routes.

I don't like HS2 as it has no stations between London and Birmingham (I understand why, but they could engineer some extra long sidings for 'slow' trains. However, we need to build more infrastructure, this should have been done 20 years ago as the French did. What is the alternative? We end up with problems like Heathrow/London airports capacity/becoming uncompetitive in the global market.

I also think the government should invest in more tram and urban transit projects in general. Trams linked from park&ride stations to city centre etc. Much disruption to local traffic while work is underway, but it is the right thing to do to create a better environment in our cities.

[KeithD]

The money would be better invested maintaining the road system. It is nearly winter again, and I seem to spend a lot of my time avoiding potholes when I am driving.

[les_taxi]

The railways need the work doing. Leeds to Manchester takes longer than it should. Trains often full and they're all outdated. Harrogate is the 3rd biggest conference venue in UK and we have a Harry Potter train line. From a taxi driver's point of view I would wish they leave it as it is, but if I'm being honest, they should build a Japanese style railway system here. Roads are chocca and are not fit for purpose. I do agree on spending money on roads too, but we haven't got it. Maybe we could round up the illegal immigrants and use forced labour! Or send 'em back home.

[KeithD]

I do agree on spending money on roads to but we haven't got it

But we have £Billions available for a railway that will only serve a very small minority of people down the centre of the country!

[les_taxi]

I believe the railways should be built up. We have lots of local stations no longer used. Small country large population, let's get some off the roads.

[grahamw48]

I agree Les.

Also restore some of the canals.

Far too many trucks choking up the roads, as well as cars.

If the load isn't time-critical, put it on rail freight or on a canal/river.

We also need better links to Leeds/Bradford Airport. The present situation is a joke.

[les_taxi]

I will do you a special price to LBA on completion of your Windows 7 installation lol