Letter: Jobs subsidy

IT NEVER ceases to amaze the ability of government to squander taxpayers' money.

There is little point in building a high-speed train link between Birmingham and London (your report, 4 August) to shave a few minutes off the journey only to spend up to 25 minutes queuing to enter the Underground. The money would be much better spent providing improved facilities for parking, ticketing and platform access at the stations as well as renewing ancient rolling stock and rail track. At a proposed capital price of 34 billion (almost 70 Scottish Parliaments), it is yet another job-creating subsidy for the south-east of England.

MICHAEL N CROSBY

Little Compston

Muiravonside, By Linlithgow