Stop HS2 - Channel 4 News, Pete Waterman & Joe Rukin

[ddemaine]

Perhaps reopening (where practical) some of the lines closed by Beeching, would help.

[Corrupt5358]

How about a network of underground trains, running at at least 200mph, going from every city to every city in a fraction of the time, and I don't want it done by 2026, i want the whole thing finished by 2012! This proposal is so weak.

[Madhatter1uk]

I fail to see how a family moving out of London, creating commuter towns and pushing up house prices for locals is benefiting the local community or business sector. Perhaps someone could explain what I'm not getting ?

[StopHS2]

@westcountrytelevisio Thanks very much for your highly considered view based on facts Mr Waterman!

PS; I'm sure it'll be great news for the West Country!

[glitch4465]

Nobody is saying we should never of built the channel tunnel.

But we're all thinking it....

[StopHS2]

The reason I left the headline as read out at the start of the programme was because Jon Sonw said he was in favour of HS2 in the green room and asked me about that issue. I gave him too strong an answer for his agenda, so he didn't ask the question that he trailed the programme with...

[StopHS2]

@StopHS2 *Jon Snow*

[gorton8andy]

HS1 passenger numbers were overestimated but economic benefits were WILDLY UNDERESTIMATED by TWENTY TIMES.

And yet all we hear about is house prices and Daily Mail Politics.

[Godsahumanist]

Pete was right in that the network is at capacity for the amount of trains but extra carriages on those that already run is very possible up to 12.

However longer term even that may not be enough making all the current services 12 car based on growth scenario's. This would mean additonal track capacity, improved signalling which is never cheap but the question is do we want that or need that to be 300kmh, over the whole section.

[Warkwilf]

Rukin is exposed for his short and shallow knowledge of the subject. Good that Pete Waterman makes key points back to the fatuous StopHS2 campaign. Add 4 coaches to a train, if only if were that easy! I live in the same town Rukin and know many people in the town who support HS2 - they get the bigger picture about where future jobs are coming from. I object to the slogan and banners "Kenilworth says NO to HS2" - sorry Joe not in my name it doesn't - so why does this slogan claim it as a fact ?

[StopHS2]

@Warkwilf Hiya Ananda. If you want to try and be anonymous and it work, you really need to use different banter, you know, not the same tired fatuous arguments as ever. Pete Waterman was truly terrible and anyone with any sense can see that. Yes it is as easy as adding more carriages. If you go say, to Coventry Station as you say you do all day, go up the platform and look for the little square yellow signs which tell the 12 carriage trains where to stop!

[StopHS2]

@Warkwilf The other thing is you keep going on about this 'not in my name' rubbish and how there are so many people in Kenilworth support HS2. When you were at Kenilworth Town Council the other week (the same night as this broadcast) didn't Councillor Michael Coker say that he didn't know anyone besides you who supports HS2? As THE democratic representatve body in Kenilworth, the Town Council unanimously opposes HS2, so yes it is absolutely right to say "Kenilworth says NO to HS2".

[StopHS2]

@StopHS2 Sorry, Black signs (paint on posts actually) at Cov Station, Ones elsewhere are yellow.

[Lukeypoos001]

China is a communist country that murders and tortures it's own people, we have nothing to learn from them.

But Joe is is right, Manchester - Leed, Manchester - Newcastle for eg, will not be possible, it separates the east from the west, and you end up not only with a north-south divide, but an east-west one too.

HSR is also old technology, it would be a mistake to build in Britain for the 21st century what the French had in the 70s, we should look to the future not back.

[macrob12345]

The air in China is the most polluted in the world. Many people in China get cancer. BUT THEY DO HAVE HS2 STYLE TRAINS, WHICH MANY PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD.

[macrob12345]

The UK is far smaller than China and already has trains equivalent to the D trains which are the first generation of Chinese high speed trains. China also is destroying it's environment I hope in the UK we can care a bit more about the environment. I know that in "the cleanest cities in China" I found myself with extreme respiratory problems.

[BevanNeil]

This does nothing to advance the debate, it is just a shouting match! If I were to conclude any thing from this piece it is that both sides agree there is no short term business case, but we should gamble it will show benefit in 50 years. Can we afford to gamble when we (as a country) are broke?

[macrob12345]

The train system in China is not privatised like in the UK. The train system on which China is built is defective. It looks impressive on the outside. But sometimes Chinese quality is lacking. (REF recent crash on D train and media cover up). To make comparisons between China and GB is myopic and short-sighted.

[macrob12345]

I believe Mr Waterman has good intent, but he clearly doesn't represent the commuters who struggle to buy their tickets, and have to budget their income carefully. He's a multi-millionaire, and I am sure he goes first class. I doubt he's a 9-5 commuter in 2nd class crammed into the carriage. And most of these people wont see improvement to their life from HS2.

[macrob12345]

Even though China's finances are far better than the UK's (another argument why China should have High Speed, not for the UK) , its G trains have been empty. It's Maglev high speed link from Pudong Airport-Shanghai also has minimal usage. Only the minority can afford them. But this is the second biggest economy in the world.

[macrob12345]

In reference to 2.55 Steve Brittan says HIgh Speed Rail has helped China. China and GB are chalk and cheese. China is set to be the economic superpower and it's far bigger in area. I have lived in China for two years, and the majority of the population cannot afford it's G train (Equivalent HS2). They have even had to slow down it's G train to reduce ticket prices and make it safer.