High-speed rail is a long-term investment
11/03/10 | 12:18
The Government’s plans for high-speed rail have been announced today by Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary. Commenting, David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“Continued investment in Britain's transport infrastructure will underpin economic growth, support business in driving recovery and create jobs. That is why the BCC supports a comprehensive high-speed rail network that provides vital extra capacity and helps British companies compete on a global scale.
"With the public finances in such a poor state, the budget for this important project needs to be carefully considered. High-speed rail is a long-term investment but it cannot be built at the expense of the current rail network. There must now be a binding, cross-party political consensus to ensure that both HSR and upgrades to the existing rail system proceed over the next two decades.”
Ends
Media Contact:
Sam Turvey
Tel: 020 7654 5813
Email: s.turvey@britishchambers.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
Command paper - http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/commandpaper/
Lord Adonis will speak at the BCC’s annual conference on Thursday 18 March - www.bcc-preparingforchange.co.uk
BCC released a report on high-speed rail in November 2009
Working with local Chambers of Commerce, we are campaigning for the political parties to commit to maintain investment in our vital business infrastructure.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.