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As the Government prepares to give the go-ahead to its hugely controversial high-speed train project, its closest equivalent in Europe has had to be saved from bankruptcy with a £250 million government bailout.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...thusiasts.html
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The new “Fyra” high-speed service in the Netherlands — opened just two years ago — is close to financial collapse with passengers shunning its premium fares and trains running up to 85 per cent empty. The line, between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Breda, cost taxpayers more than £7 billion to build but is losing £320,000 a day amid disastrous levels of patronage.
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The Dutch aren't renowned for infrastructure failures and I fear we're in for more of the same if this goes ahead. It will almost certainly overrun, the final bill will be far more than predicted and if the pricing is high enough to make some return then only the relatively well off will be prepared to use it. It just doesn't add up and I can't see how it wouldn't make more sense to spend the vast sums involved, creating jobs and stimulating growth over a much wider area by improving our existing network for both passengers and freight.