Far better route

It is important to get a major scheme like HS2 right first time, even if it does mean some delay in starting

Your editorial comment (August issue) on HS2 - the proposed London - Birmingham high speed rail link - gave the impression that opposition to the preferred route through the Chilterns is the result of "nimbyism" on the part of people living there. While there is a degree of truth in this, it is not by any means the whole story.

The Chilterns and the adjacent Colne Valley Regional Park are much valued by many thousands of ramblers, cyclists, horse-riders, anglers, boaters, wildlife enthusiasts and others for the opportunities they offer for informal recreation in the first stretch of relatively open countryside to the west of London. The preferred route does nothing in transport terms for people living along its southern half and is gravely detrimental to this area.

The aim of the new line should be to generate maximum public benefit at minimum environmental cost, while maintaining the high speed principle. A route far better fitting these requirements would be broadly to follow the line of the M1 and M6 motorways towards Birmingham. This would enable substantial towns such as Watford, Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Rugby to be served while avoiding the Colne Valley Park and only marginally affecting the Chilterns.

This layout could be adopted if the proposal to build a spur southwards to Heathrow Airport were dropped. This is a questionable addendum in any case, given the small number of travellers likely to use it once the city centre to city centre "main line" is up and running. It is important to get a major scheme like HS2 right first time, even if it does mean some delay in starting.

M.A. Timms, Iver, Bucks 

Next letter: Incoherent strategy