Alvechurch Bugle. HS - 2 edition - 303It is fairly common knowledge, that HS-2 is being foisted on the British taxpayer and our greenfields, via an EU masterplan for Western Europe’s rail network. Westminster is just a gullible bystander, with key ministers backing the project in return for - who knows what.The benefits to the UK are almost entirely fictitious, as in fact they are to France Germany and Italy, as T.G.V.s and the like, don’t break even and require subsidies, in one form or another.The main beneficiaries, are Siemens, Bombardier, Alstom, who will fulfil their orders for the track, signalling and rolling stock in non-British factories - and Poles will man the construction gangs.There is also, the head in the sand assumption, that England’s rail needs, directly parallel France’s and Germany’s, when they do not.We apparently, have regiments of high powered executives of wealthy companies, with real leather brief cases and expensive laptops in the hands of trim, trendy female assistants with tight skirts and designer glasses, just waiting to board a high speed train from London to Huddersfield, to seal a business deal worth billons, thereby boosting the economy of the nation and Hudddersfield, before turning their attention to Wakefield, or Gateshead, or Chorlton cum Hardy.WRONG ! They would rather get the S Class Merc. out ( pick up the secretary ) having booked a trendy, slightly out of town hotel, with a pool and jacuzzi and a discreet manager. Getting into mini scrums with the hoi polloi on station platforms, is seriously not their style.Bugle spotted an informed article recently, which reported that Swiss Railways, generally thought to be world leaders in all aspects of the art, are seriously considering axing 175 out of a total of 300 regional lines, and replacing them with bus services.These apparently do not meet an important new criteria, which demands that services should cover at least 50% of costs – Gordon Bennett, so they’ve been subsidising theirs at that level, - and they know what they’re doing!Fact : British operator : Cross Country Trains, is owned by Arriva, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. - - NICEHowever, don’t lose any sleep over HS 2 – you’re going to get it anyway, that’s the way the : Brussels - Westminster capitulation thing, works.
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