In response to the publication of the Transport Select Committee report on HS2, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies said:
“A new high speed line is vital if we are to meet the transport challenges that will face the country over the coming decades.
“But the Committee is right to point out that high speed should not come at the expense of investment in the existing network.
“High speed would help to alleviate the capacity crunch on many of our main intercity routes and would also offer the option for faster and more frequent local services to towns such as Milton Keynes, Watford and Northampton, as space is freed up on existing lines.
“We should be confident that we can meet the needs of the country as a whole whilst also addressing the local concerns of residents who may be affected.
“By deploying the best of British design and engineering in the construction of the high speed line in Kent we struck the right balance between national and local interest – we can do the same again with high speed two.”
