HS2 Action Alliance Blog

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Those of us who remember ‘The Beds of Nails’ in Yes Minister may (perhaps) be tempted to pity Philip Hammond in his role as Transport Supremo.  Jim Hacker was smart enough to pass the poisoned chalice on – Hammond was not.

Hacker’s response to a damaging transport proposal was to put the cat among the pigeons in the PM’s own back yard.  A pioneering piece of pure Nimbyism – and it worked a treat.

Now Hammond is trying to turn the tables as his bed of nails really begins to bite. 

The hackneyed art of Nimby name calling is currently his sharpest weapon in the war of words on HS2.  This is, after all, something he knows all about.  Our Transport Supremo was quick to cry FOUL! when the third Heathrow runway threatened the majority in his back yard.

But be fair.  Phil argued then that he had wider concerns.  Not so, of course, opponents of HS2, who supposedly come mainly from people living along the line.  “There is not much more to their argument than Nimbyism”, says the sage, sweeping aside all critics with equal and insolent bravado.    

So let’s take a look at some of these selfish, local whingers who are objecting to HS2 simply because of its impact on their own back yards.      

• The Tax Payers Alliance: well, that covers most of Britain so it’s certainly local to us all.  Bang goes the business case, according to their research.     

• The Adam Smith Institute: tip top brains here ‘engineer policies to increase Britain’s economic competitiveness’ – but HS2 doesn’t fit their bill.  

• The Institute of Economic Affairs: is where experts examine all areas of economic policy; it’s thumbs down again here for HS2 on economic grounds.   

• Friends of the Earth: conclude that “plans do little to cut climate changing emissions - and may even increase them”.  So much then for clean, green credentials.    

• The Campaign to Protect Rural England: “New thinking is needed about high speed rail”. The government “needs to get back on track”.  And quickly too. It’s a sad fact about the countryside - once it’s gone, it’s gone for ever.  

• Independent transport commentators: Christian Wolmar leads the pack in dismissing HS2as “based on a piece of mumbo-jumbo called a ‘business case’ which actually falls apart as soon as it is examined.“

• Public opinion: the poll on Labour’s transport policy website is amongst the many that should prompt all parties to think again.   

• The Green Party: condemn HS2 as “a rich persons’ railway that’s economically and environmentally unsound.”  Thank you: that sums it up nicely.  

And what of the people who live along the line?  Give them a pat on the back.  They were the ones who woke up first, checked the facts and blew the whistle on the Great White Elephant to the wider world.   And if they also happen to care for the Chilterns, the forests, the lost homes, the displaced birds or the badgers likely to be mown down along the way, good luck to them.   When Nimby-calling, tax-funded spin doctors deter any of us from standing up for what we value, things have come to a pretty shameful pass.

And the conclusion is? Time to sharpen up your act, Phil: clearly this Nimby name calling entirely misses the point.

Here’s some advice for the future.  Shift your position on that bed of nails. In case you hadn’t noticed, the HS2 White Elephant is bigger than anyone’s back yard.