Scrapping HS2 would be a worse idea than Boris’s garden bridge

It would seem that Boris Johnson shares your scepticism about the benefits of HS2 and has appointed an advisor, Andrew Gilligan, who is a sceptic, but who nevertheless apparently believes we need more rail capacity. One also wonders what the new transport minister, Grant Shapps, will make of it.

But one of the benefits of the HS2 project is indeed the increased capacity for rail freight. Freight by rail on the West Coast Main Line – whose capacity will be increased once HS2 is built – uses electricity. We are now in a climate emergency, and anything to shift transport away from fossil fuels should be welcomed.

Likewise if we can get those 60 per cent of passengers travelling from lowland Scotland to London by air on to trains, then perhaps we can scrap the Heathrow expansion: which in a climate emergency must be of very dubious value. Apart from anything else, scrapping HS2 now will be rather like the garden bridge, if not worse.

Ian K Watson
Carlisle

Words are cheap, especially when they re-announce existing infrastructure spending plans.

Imagine the impact on the northeast electorate and economy if HS2 were to be cancelled/postponed and instead HS3 were to start at Newcastle, Hull, Edinburgh and Leeds simultaneously and immediately.

Over 3,200km of new high-speed rail construction is planned in China for 2019 alone. Railways were invented here in the northeast and if we can’t deliver one tenth of China’s accomplishment over, say, three years then we would know, beyond any doubt, that our new PM, BJ, is only fluffing us – and vote accordingly.

Steve Ford
Haydon Bridge

Not so long ago, Theresa May told us that there was no “magic money-tree”. So, where is all the money coming from for Boris Johnson’s proposed projects?

Or, like his £350m a week for the NHS post-Brexit, is it all just more lies?

Sarah Pegg
Seaford

I sit here wishing I were a fly on the wall at Boris Johnson’s meetings with Ruth Davidson and Nicola Sturgeon. It is a toss-up as to which will be frostier in mood. Ms Davidson has made her displeasure with Johnson’s appointment policy clear, as also her view of Brexit. Ms Sturgeon assails him from all angles.

Scots need to remember that a prime minister is not for life but maybe just for Christmas 2019. Like the buses so favoured by Mr Johnson, another will be along in a few minutes. We should keep calm and do nothing rash. Breaking up the union because of one individual at one time would be madness.

Jill Stephenson
Edinburgh

I believe that the Matt Minshall letter deserves scrutiny, for I do not share the sense the Mr Rees-Mogg is a clown; far from it. The notion of ratcheting up correct behaviour, however draconian or outdated, does address perfectly an urgent necessity to re-engage respect.

As articulated, it offers a return to all that is missing in what has become our pusillanimous nanny state for which Great Britain is becoming, laughably, so well regarded. One should add to that list, that staff failing to observe the new etiquette will be horse-whipped publicly on the steps of their club; keep going Mr Rees-Mogg and bring back the stocks.

Peter Minshall
Argyll

Now it’s a fair bet there will be a general election at some point soon, can we push for a lowering of the voting age please? If the election ends up as a Brexit election, it would be correct for younger people to have a say about their future.

Maybe we could remind people that Johnson was elected by a tiny electorate of older, white conservative members, but a meaningful vote should encompass all affected people. If Johnson can convince young people their future is better out of the EU, then the country may even stand a chance of reuniting in this turbulent time.

Derek Thornhill
Gloucestershire