Environmental and economic arguments for HS2 high-speed rail

¶ … Public and mass transit are issues confronting nearly every nation as well as many individual municipalities. The UK is no exception and there are currently many proposals on the docket than attempt to resolve mass transit for distance and commute that are rapid and more environmentally sustainable than individual automobile transportation. One of those transportation proposals is HS 2, a high speed train network that would connect many locations, provide rapid service, resolve issues of environmental concern, and come at a relatively high cost to individual taxpayers and central and local governments. This high cost is often seen as an extreme barrier with regard to developing large infrastructural transportation projects. In summation this work will explore the topic of the HS 2 proposal and offer both affirmative and contrary evidence to support and/or detract from that HS 2 proposal project. This work argues that though it's difficult to calculate the offset cost savings to the environment make such expenditure, as is proposed in HS 2 a valid one. Further it will argue that one of the most important aspects of the developing of infrastructural changes for mass transportation projects is serious consideration of intangible and secondary costs and benefits with regard to the environment.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1

1 Table of Contents 1

2 Introduction 1

3 Background 2

4 Literature Review 3

5 Conclusions 3

5.1 Findings 3

5.2 Recommendations 3

6 References 4

Introduction

Transportation is one of the most important aspects of civic and economic planning. Public and mass transit are issues confronting nearly every nation as well as many individual municipalities. The UK is no exception and there are currently many proposals on the docket than attempt to resolve mass transit for distance and commute that are rapid and more environmentally sustainable than individual automobile transportation. One of those transportation proposals is HS 2, a high speed train network that would connect many locations, provide rapid service, resolve issues of environmental concern, and come at a relatively high cost to individual taxpayers and central and local governments. This high cost is often seen as an extreme barrier with regard to developing large infrastructural transportation projects. In summation this work will explore the topic of the HS 2 proposal and offer both affirmative and contrary evidence to support and/or detract from that HS 2 proposal project. The HS 2 proposal locations are listed below.

London to the West Midlands. Such a line would enable faster and enhanced services to be run on new and existing lines to Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and other destinations in the north of England and Scotland, cutting journey times and increasing capacity substantially. In the South, any new line could connect to a new Heathrow International interchange station on the Great Western main line, providing a direct 4-way interchange between the airport, the new north-south line, existing Great Western rail services and Crossrail into central London. (Department of Transport, London, 2009, p. 4)

This work will argue that though it's difficult to calculate the offset cost savings to the environment make such expenditure, as is proposed in HS 2 a valid one.

HS2 have not yet issued the technical details of the emissions that they estimate will be caused by HS2 during construction and operation. HS2 that their plans will either increase emissions by 26.5 Million Tonnes CO2 or decrease emissions by 25 Million Tonnes. (Bluespace Thinking ltd. 2010, np Section 10)

Further it will argue that one of the most important aspects of the developing of infrastructural changes for mass transportation projects is serious consideration of intangible and secondary costs and benefits with regard to the environment.

Background

The London UK Department for Transport (DfT) (2009) stresses that rail travel and rail freight use demand have improved significantly over the last 20 years (50%, and 40% conversely), that the increased passenger and freight demands require better and faster train services, that large transportation/rail infrastructure projects require significant lead time and that the regardless of the concerns regarding cost this program for developing new lines should go on, using the existing proposal locations. The background offered by the DfT and others stress that the HS 2 would be in high demand and would serve areas not currently served, especially with regard to long distance transportation at rapid rates. Though of course this affirmation does not come without controversy, as several community action organizations have openly come out against the HS 2 plan. Yet it is clear that any mass expenditure on infrastructure will obviously garner debate.

Findings

This work describes some interesting and valuable findings including the development of HS 2 data both in and outside the official literature. The findings suggest that overall HS 2 and the official line on it is the most thorough and detailed of the materials offered and supports well the HS 2 project plans.

Recommendations

As an important aspect of this work a brief description of the secondary benefits and costs to the environment offered by HS 2. The calculations associated with the CO2 emission information are limited even in the official documentation. Additionally, land use changes need to be more thoroughly detailed, not necessarily primary but secondary land use issues. These issues are clearly paramount to the development of any major mass transit system but because of their incalculable and subjective nature do not seem to get fully explored in official or unofficial material.

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