Since becoming Rugby’s MP in 2010 I have always promoted the town whenever, and wherever, possible and fought to protect its interests. When the proposals for HS2 were announced I carefully considered the arguments for and against the scheme but have never been convinced of the economic benefits it would bring and have always feared the negative effect it could have on services to and from Rugby.
That is why this week I voted against the Government and against HS2.
The Bill is to receive a second reading due to the cross-party support the project has but I believe that I was correct to vote against it. This was not a decision I took lightly but I believe it was the right one. Since I was elected my mailbox has borne witness to the concerns of Rugby residents to the construction of a new railway. Some of the correspondence I have received has been in favour of it but the vast majority has been opposed to the scheme and many of my constituents have expressed their concerns that HS2 would not benefit the town, or indeed the country. I share those views.
Rugby is the fastest growing town in the West Midlands. Many people are attracted here due to our close proximity to London and the excellent rail links we have to the capital and the country on the whole. Like many of my constituents I fear that HS2 will attract the city to city business currently on the existing west coast main line. This could lead the operator of the existing line to reduce the number of services and introduce more services stopping at all stations. This would lead to a deterioration in services to and from Rugby and thus harm our town’s economy and future prospects.
There are serious, and credible, alternatives to HS2 which I believe should have been explored further which would provide more capacity on our railway system particularly given that the argument for HS2 is now based on the issue of capacity rather than speed.
Rather than spending considerable sums of public money on the scheme I believe that serious consideration should be given to increasing capacity on the West Coast Mainline. We need longer carriages (already taking place), less first class coach space (and an increase in standard class travel) and a rescheduling of freight trains on the line allowing for additional passenger journeys.
Now the decision has been taken to proceed, we will have to lobby hard to ensure fears of a reduction in services are unfounded.