Last week the Prime Minister visited Reading to look at the massive investment going into our railway: Reading Station, Crossrail, Heathrow link, electrification and so on! He was asked by local journalists about committing to semi fast services for Crossrail and suggested it was possible as “Rob seems to have a magical effect on the Chancellor of the Exchequer in terms of getting things done for Reading.” It was gratifying to hear recognition that I have been able, over nine years, to represent the best interests of my constituents in this way (and of course others have been involved and helped enormously).
So having secured so much transport infrastructure money for the benefit of my constituents, that allows my constituents to look forward to another lengthy period of prosperity, I was struck that I had a number of emails asking me to oppose HS2. I was not prepared to agree, because HS2 is not an expensive white elephant as some have said, rather it is exactly the same type of infrastructure as going in to Reading East that will deliver similar economic benefits to other parts of the UK. I do not think I have the right to stand in the way.
But people do have questions, so let me see if I can give you some answers. What is HS2? HS2 will be the first new railway line built north of London for 120 years. It will link 8 of Britain's 10 largest cities, serving 1 in 5 of the UK population. Why do we need HS2? Because we face a rail capacity crisis as demand for long distance rail travel has doubled in the past 15 years to 125 million journeys a year and all rail journeys doubled from 1995-2012 from 750 million a year to 1.5 billion a year. The West Coast Mainline is now the busiest combined passenger and freight railway line in Europe.
By the beginning of the 2030s, there could be as many as 200 passengers standing for every 100 seats on key services leaving Euston in the evening.
If we are to deal with this crisis a new North-South line is essential. HS2 will increase capacity from London to Birmingham by 143%. Enhancements to the existing railway would increase capacity by just 53%. Releasing capacity by building a new North-South line offers huge potential for increased freight services - meaning fewer cars and lorries on our roads, cutting congestion and carbon. But it will also mean quicker journeys: Central Manchester just 68 minutes from London or Central Birmingham to East Midlands in just 19 minutes. This will change the economic geography of our country.
The costs are just 10 per cent more to build a new high speed line rather than a new standard speed equivalent. Widening current lines would be hugely disruptive and could lead to 14 years of weekend closures, according to engineers. These are all important and relevant, but I want the wealth being created in the south to be shared right across our country. I have been leading the effort to do it for Reading, so I could not in good conscience refuse to do it for every other region.