High speed rail is a blight on democracy.

High speed rail only benefits a small number of privileged people who tend to travel between the two main termini - they are hugely expensive and undemocratic. They embody the totalitarian tendencies of the socialist with their desire to centrally plan all aspects of personal and commercial life.

For the sake of freedom, democracy and greater social mobility we should be building High Speed Motorways (particularly running East/West) linking the regions (not just to London but to each other).

The car is the great democratiser of the 20th century - by all means make them greener, cleaner and faster but don't demonise them.

Road building has shamefully lagged car growth for the last 50 years - that is why we have congestion. Yet road transport is far more efficient than rail in that everyone has the power to choose their own speed and destination rather than being beholden to a state backed monopoly (as Hayek pointed out - this is the very worst sort of monopoly).

Blessing for individual freedom and bigger, faster, longer roads.

Father Ignatius Brown
http://www.father-ignatius-brown.com/