Open Letter to Sir David Higgins 23rd January 2017

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Dear Sir David

This is an open letter.

You will see from the attached that in-train time is nearly as productive as in-office time. The implication is that savings of in-train business time should be set to zero, destroying the case for HS2 at a stroke.

You will also be aware of the fantastic hike in the percentage on business illustrated by the diagram below. Among other, that preserved the “business” or “economic” case at a time when the value of business time was reduced by 32%, forecasts were reduced by 15% and costs increased by 26 percent, an amazing trick.

Against that background is it not time to warn the Government that the case for HS2 cannot be defended in a discussion devoted to finding the truth?

Fig 2 of the HS engine for growth report, ‘The Economic Case for HS 2, Summary of key changes to the Economic Case since August 2012’.

Yours sincerely

Paul F Withrington