I wrote to Chris Grayling some time back requesting that the HS2 project be terminated and got a two page reply from one of his civil servants, admonishing me for suggesting that the project would end up costing many times the original estimate of £30 billion and could not be justified just to get a few business men from Birmingham to London 20 minutes earlier than the current journey time. The rest of the letter was full of waffle about the amazing benefits to trade.

It should be scrapped forthwith and the money spent improving the rail system between the northern cities. (A better service from west Wales to Cardiff/London would be nice too!).