A regional daily has launched the first in a series of “Big Debates” to examine in detail issues of interest to the region.
The Yorkshire Post launched its Big Debate series last week, starting with a detailed examination of the plans for the HS2 high speed rail project to connect Leeds and Manchester with London.
For the debate, the paper aimed to cover a wide range of views across the region, including politicians, business leaders and local people, about the controversial rail link which is dividing the country.
The Big Debate on HS2 saw the title publish articles each day last week on a different aspect of the plans and is also seeking opinions from readers on social media, using the hashtag ##YPBigDebate.
Yorkshire Post editor Jeremy Clifford told readers: “There will not be a bigger issue with so much resting on a decision to invest so many billions of pounds on the infrastructure of this country than HS2.
“Yet, it is an issue that is dividing the country and the north of England. Politicians in Westminster and the regions have different views and business leaders are also divided about the merits of the project. Many communities, too, are unconvinced of the advantages of such a big spending scheme.
“This is where the Yorkshire Post steps into the debate. With so much riding on the decision, it is our belief that we should take a leading role in shaping the debate, to analyse the issues, and to provide a platform for discussion.
“There is no other organisation so well equipped to do the job of bringing together, the public, politicians and business leaders to discuss the merits of the scheme and to present them back to the decision makers.
“So we urge you to have your say, to read what the experts have to say and to engage in the debate on any of our media platforms. You will be taking part in the decision about the biggest investment project in this country in our generation.”
Further Big Debates are set to be held by the paper on key issues for people in Yorkshire.
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This Yorkshire Post debate should be interesting. Personally, I think HS2 is another classic blunder by David Cameron. Just like his attempt to drag the country into war in Syria, it highlights how out of touch he is with ordinary people…that is, people who are NOT set to line their pockets with HS2 cash but just want to get from A to B more efficiently and without the countryside being trashed.
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Countryside being trashed? We heard this with HS1 (Channel Tunnel Rail Link) Kent was going to be ruined apparently. 10-15 years on and you’d hardly notice it. Maidstone campaigned, successfully, not to have a station on the basis it would somehow destroy the town. It went to Ebbsfleet instead. Now Ebbsfleet is booming and Maidstone is pleading to have a station, realising it made the mother of all miscalculations. Last week’s Commons vote went through more than 10 to 1 for HS2. Cross party. Who is out of touch mate?
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The people complaining about HS2 are the ones who get the track passing through where their garden used to be, so those in Ealing, Hillingdon, The Chilterns (an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty no less) and Bucks, who get none of the benefits but all of the inconvenience for a £43bn project (excluding the cost of trains!!!! – something the Government does not feel should be included in the budget for whatever reason) which will knock 15 minutes off the length of a journey to Birmingham in Phase 1, and 30 mins to Leeds/Manchester in Phase 2 (not due to open for another 20 years btw).
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What’s this got to do with journalism, hacker? Anyway I’ll throw in my tuppence worth: Cameron is toadying to the Saudi Arabians who are spending billions of oil money to try and overthrow the Assad regime and impose a strict religious society as in their own country in order that they can keep their ruling families in power a little longer.
You should translate the Saudi media. It makes the Daily Mail look like a paragon of non-partisanship.
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Nut indent – there is a debate running in the Yorkshire Post on HS2. It’s a newspaper. Someone posted a comment and I replied to it. Desker – trains run through plenty of areas of natural beauty. Try the Settle-Carlise line. No-one complains that they spoil the view, instead they make TV programmes about how wonderful the experience is of travelling on them. Kent has HS1. They call it the Garden of England. No one claims it has been ruined by it. And what has Saudi got to do with anything?
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I also welcome this Yorkshire Post debate on HS2. Hacker, you sound like your mind is already made up on it and all the businesses, residents, wildlife etc set to be devastated can go hang in your view. There are two sides to everything, especially something as huge as HS2.
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* Freeman of York
* Brought up West Riding.
A lot riding for Yorkshire on HS2. Great nostalgic pun.
Build it. The key role of HS2 is to by-pass the Rugby London line which is full So .Phase One has to be built.
That will assist the North_West most. Capacity rules the roost here. A benign by-product is speed. This leads to the wry note that if you have to go to London you can get back more quickly
The very serious consultancy work by Atkins does show beyond all reasonable doubt that HS is the best of a number of scenarios,
How does Yorkshire benefit.? By virtue of its linking to the East Midland and the Birmingham Areas. I wish to be on the train that first travels from the first railway hub in the world, York , to Old Oak.
Our aim must be to line up Phase 2 to overlao Phase 1 asap.
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