You can download and print this A4 poster

On 11th March 2010 the Government announced a highly detailed high speed rail link (HS2) from London to Birmingham, which cuts through areas of outstanding natural beauty and devastates towns, villages, rural communities, businesses, farmland and wildlife.

Large stretches of the track are on viaducts up to 11 meters high, close to housing and travelling at the speed of 400kph (250mph), with the capacity to carry 20 trains/hour.

The noise, visual appearance and disruption will devastate life as we know it

RAIL PACKAGE 2   verus   HIGH SPEED 2

Rail Package 2 (RP2)

Enhances the West Coast Main Line. 

Available within 5 years.

Less than ½ cost of HS2 stage 1*

Serves all WCML stations.

Virgin would provide faster services.

Adds an extra 135% capacity.

Much less disruption than HS2.

A new line, London to Birmingham.

Does not arrive until 2026.

Stage 1 costs £17.8 billion.*

No intermediate stations.

WCML journey times get longer.

Reduced services on WCML.

7-8 years to rebuild Euston.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY GOVERNMENT SPIN!

HS2 versus RP2 is a simple choice. RP2 delivers more benefits to more people more quickly and costs far less money. Or this should be a simple choice, but the Government just want HS2.

*HS2 is still being calculated on third quarter 2009 costs & Stage 2 will cost another £14.4bn. Last month, after RP2 had become a popular alternative, the Department for Transport increased the cost from just under £6bn to just under £9bn. Other rail experts have said RP2 could cost as little as £2bn and RP2 can be done bit by bit, so unlike HS2, it’s not all or nothing at a time of austerity and cuts.

Contact Southam Area Action Group (SAAG) NOW

Go to www.hs2-southam.net or e mail info@hs2-southam.net

It Affects YOU – Act NOW!