[Osem]

I think many years of sad decline have put our once great network in a state not disimilar to our Victorian sewers and therein lies the problem. If the investment had been put in over the decades since the war we'd already have a much better network and there'd be no need to commit what's now a vast sum in one hit as it were to build this one new route.

Yes it'd be great to have a shiny new rail link but we are where we are both historically and financially however so, on balance I tend to think the money would be better spent improving what we've got which we all know still needs investment badly and already costs a packet to use.

One thing's for certain and that is that if this thing is built it is going to cost a fortune to run and maintain so if it doesn't make a profit (and I don't think any national networks do) it's going to cost the taxpayer a fortune forevermore and could well have an adverse effect on investment in the rest of the rail network.