Off the rails

Published on 29/01/2013 00:00

Scottish taxpayers must be wondering why they are paying the equivalent of £2,000 per head for a high speed rail track that goes as far north as Leeds.

The London government has pinned its hopes on HS2, which it believes can help grow the economy and bring wealth to other areas outwith the south-east of England. Disappointingly, its plans do not include Scotland.

For those who think we are better off remaining part of the UK, this is a great example of the way the London-centric UK thinks about the rest of us.

As far as they are concerned, we can wait longer than any other part of the UK, and by their own reasoning, our ­economic development can be put on hold. In the meantime, we will be paying up front.

To date the UK has no HS2 plan or guarantees for Scotland. No wonder the Scottish ­Government, local councils and the business community are ­demanding that HS2 is delivered in Scotland “sooner rather than later”.

Douglas Chapman

Pitbauchlie Bank

Dunfermline