Back in October 2008 I posted an Article on: High Speed Trains and Heathrows Third Runway which ended with:
Transport is too important nationally to be a political football. We have wasted at least 40 years, please, don't waste the next 40!
In France where there appears a separation between National Interest and Party Politics so lacking in Britain, there has been a consistent integrated National Transport Policy, especially in regard to High Speed Rail for 40 Years. So the recent British political consensus on the need for High Speed Rail links and this cross-political support for some major projects has been a welcome 'chink of light'. One project that seemed to be a beneficiary of this welcome change is the planned High Speed Link between London and the Midlands (part of a longer term plan: New high-speed rail plan unveiled BBC August 2009), which has been around for at least 5 years.
The Conservatives have broken the Political consensus on this project by commissioning their own panel of experts to look over the proposals, which were drawn up by High Speed Two, a public company. Now this panel has not yet issued its final report to its Conservative paymasters (gosh I thought all the parties were short of cash), but as part of the cross-party consensus the Labour Government offered the Conservative Opposition a preview of the forthcoming White Paper on the project and they refused.
The question is why chose this project?
Well Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary has decided to take the risk of alarming potential Labour voters by publishing a detailed London-to-Birmingham proposal in the white paper that locates the tracks to within five metres in urban areas and 25 metres in the countryside. Note: How refreshing a Government Whitepaper that actually details what is really planned.
But endorsing such a tightly planned route could spell even more trouble for the Tories as well because it is widely expected to slice through the Conservative heartland of Buckinghamshire, including a swath of the Chiltern Hills - one of 40 areas of outstanding natural beauty in England and Wales.
So the Guardian found a 'talkative Tory party source' who:
Acknowledged concerns that the route could go through key constituencies between the home counties and the West Midlands, triggering complaints about property blight from house owners. "We don't want to lose 10 seats backing a route blindly," said the source - Hmm also honest, but depressingly so. It's all about Party Politics and s*d the National Interest!
So there we have it National Interest No, Party Politics Yes and what I saw as a 'chink of light' that possibly would burn brighter by encompassing other National Projects has just been shut off.
For the Conservative Party this 'strategy' appears to have backfired (as it deserved to) as the both the Government and the Lib-Dems have been able to take the moral high ground:
First Norman Baker for the Lib-Dems talking to the BBC:
"This peculiar decision of the Tories coupled with Osborne's spending cuts strongly suggest that the Tories are trying to kick high-speed rail into the long grass." "The Tories can't be trusted with our railways."
Nasty little political kicker at the end there Norman and you were doing so well!
Now Lord Adonis:
"Full public consultation will of course take place on any route proposed by the government. The consensus I seek is on the principle of high-speed rail, so that it can be taken forward on a cross-party basis in the next parliament."
Amusingly since the Conservative announcement yesterday, the Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers has had to spend most of her time defending the Conservative line by denying they were "playing politics".
Sorry but you were!
As the General Election begins to looms, who to vote for:
Labour, Conservative, or Lib Dems - In each party there are a few (too few) with talent, a few (even fewer) I respect (and not always the same people), but actually the thought of any of these parties forming the next Government is for me depressing and the stuff of nightmares..
Links:
Department of Transport Britain's Transport Infrastructure: High Speed Two
January 2009 - Warning 5Mb PDF - Very Interesting
From the Newspapers
18th February:
Guardian:-Tory fears of vote backlash put high-speed rail route in doubt
19th February:
Telegraph:- High-speed rail route 'under threat' as Tories refuse to support Labour's proposals
Times:-Tories put high-speed rail line in doubt
A Bit of History Courtesy of the BBC:
Why put the brakes on high-speed rail?
The Politicians:
Lord Andrew Adonis:
Department of Transport Profile ,the Telegraph Profile and Wikipedia Entry
Theresa Villiers:
Official Website - Conservative Party Site and Wikipedia Entry
Norman Baker:
Official Website - Profile On Norman Clegg's Site and Wikipedia Entry
Transport is too important nationally to be a political football. We have wasted at least 40 years, please, don't waste the next 40!
In France where there appears a separation between National Interest and Party Politics so lacking in Britain, there has been a consistent integrated National Transport Policy, especially in regard to High Speed Rail for 40 Years. So the recent British political consensus on the need for High Speed Rail links and this cross-political support for some major projects has been a welcome 'chink of light'. One project that seemed to be a beneficiary of this welcome change is the planned High Speed Link between London and the Midlands (part of a longer term plan: New high-speed rail plan unveiled BBC August 2009), which has been around for at least 5 years.
The Conservatives have broken the Political consensus on this project by commissioning their own panel of experts to look over the proposals, which were drawn up by High Speed Two, a public company. Now this panel has not yet issued its final report to its Conservative paymasters (gosh I thought all the parties were short of cash), but as part of the cross-party consensus the Labour Government offered the Conservative Opposition a preview of the forthcoming White Paper on the project and they refused.
The question is why chose this project?
Well Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary has decided to take the risk of alarming potential Labour voters by publishing a detailed London-to-Birmingham proposal in the white paper that locates the tracks to within five metres in urban areas and 25 metres in the countryside. Note: How refreshing a Government Whitepaper that actually details what is really planned.
But endorsing such a tightly planned route could spell even more trouble for the Tories as well because it is widely expected to slice through the Conservative heartland of Buckinghamshire, including a swath of the Chiltern Hills - one of 40 areas of outstanding natural beauty in England and Wales.
So the Guardian found a 'talkative Tory party source' who:
Acknowledged concerns that the route could go through key constituencies between the home counties and the West Midlands, triggering complaints about property blight from house owners. "We don't want to lose 10 seats backing a route blindly," said the source - Hmm also honest, but depressingly so. It's all about Party Politics and s*d the National Interest!
So there we have it National Interest No, Party Politics Yes and what I saw as a 'chink of light' that possibly would burn brighter by encompassing other National Projects has just been shut off.
For the Conservative Party this 'strategy' appears to have backfired (as it deserved to) as the both the Government and the Lib-Dems have been able to take the moral high ground:
First Norman Baker for the Lib-Dems talking to the BBC:
"This peculiar decision of the Tories coupled with Osborne's spending cuts strongly suggest that the Tories are trying to kick high-speed rail into the long grass." "The Tories can't be trusted with our railways."
Nasty little political kicker at the end there Norman and you were doing so well!
Now Lord Adonis:
"Full public consultation will of course take place on any route proposed by the government. The consensus I seek is on the principle of high-speed rail, so that it can be taken forward on a cross-party basis in the next parliament."
Amusingly since the Conservative announcement yesterday, the Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers has had to spend most of her time defending the Conservative line by denying they were "playing politics".
Sorry but you were!
As the General Election begins to looms, who to vote for:
Labour, Conservative, or Lib Dems - In each party there are a few (too few) with talent, a few (even fewer) I respect (and not always the same people), but actually the thought of any of these parties forming the next Government is for me depressing and the stuff of nightmares..
Links:
Department of Transport Britain's Transport Infrastructure: High Speed Two
January 2009 - Warning 5Mb PDF - Very Interesting
From the Newspapers
18th February:
Guardian:-Tory fears of vote backlash put high-speed rail route in doubt
19th February:
Telegraph:- High-speed rail route 'under threat' as Tories refuse to support Labour's proposals
Times:-Tories put high-speed rail line in doubt
A Bit of History Courtesy of the BBC:
Why put the brakes on high-speed rail?
The Politicians:
Lord Andrew Adonis:
Department of Transport Profile ,the Telegraph Profile and Wikipedia Entry
Theresa Villiers:
Official Website - Conservative Party Site and Wikipedia Entry
Norman Baker:
Official Website - Profile On Norman Clegg's Site and Wikipedia Entry
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