THE country already has exceptional road and rail links between London and Birmingham and onwards to Leeds and Manchester. There is also a canal network and at the other end of the scale airline routes.

The HS2 high-speed rail network will cut travel times.

However, this will depend on snow, wet leaves, high winds etc.

I wonder how many journeys will actually be at top speed over the journey length? Track maintenance, signal faults and other train breakdowns suggest that what can go wrong will go wrong.

The fares on these trains will be higher, so will it be running at full capacity? And if not shall other rail users have to subsidise the elite high speed traveller?

We are told the cost of HS2 will be £30bn but this seems to be a figure plucked out of thin air.

And, even with the best will in the world, the line won’t be ready for years..

Are we saddling ourselves with this enormous enterprise just so wealthy business types can get to Leeds and be safely back in their London penthouses the same day?

If speed is of such importance why aren’t small airfields, such as Durham Tees Valley Airport, all over the country making special deals with groups of business people? If it is so important to be in a different place perhaps people should just grasp the nettle and relocate.

The south-east corner of our country was fine for the Romans, but England needs to move on.

Gerard Wild, Richmond.