YP Letters: May must put brakes on £63bn HS2 disaster

THERE will be a number of issues demanding and competing for the attention of our new Prime Minister, but one of the matters that should be near the top of her in-tray is the HS2 project. It promises to be an unmitigated disaster. Costs have increased from £32.6bn to the current £63bn and there is little evidence to support the claims of the benefits it will bring.

This £63bn is a huge amount of money and, if spent wisely, could bring enormous benefits to the region. For instance, there are several major transport projects which would bring benefit to a much wider public than would HS2 and there is also a desperate need for more affordable housing.

Running alongside the need to re-consider HS2 is the absolute need to ensure that the Northern Powerhouse project becomes a reality. There is a symmetry here of course – some of the money saved on HS2 would make a significant contribution to the infrastructure costs necessary to take the Northern Powerhouse to fruition. Before that can happen, Yorkshire must get a move on and decide who is to be its leader in the post-Brexit era (Tom Richmond, The Yorkshire Post, August 6). So much at stake and so little time if we are not to be left behind – come on Yorkshire and make the case!