Ways in Which HS2 Could Change Your Commute

The proposed new high-speed railway called HS2 is a hot topic in the news right now and it will be interesting to see how this potentially revolutionary new railway line will change the way in which people travel. The new line will link London Euston to Birmingham initially and then the second phase will link Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and eventually Scotland in a Y shape.

So, how might this new railway change people’s commute to work? There will be many changes to the way in which people travel to and from work when the line is complete with both advantages and disadvantages to consider.

Benefits

The main advantage that it brings to commuters is that it will allow for very fast travel between the UK’s core business cities which will allow people to commute much further for work which will also allow people to look much further when searching for work. It will also encourage more people to take the train as opposed to drive which brings environmental benefits as well as relieves gridlocked city centers. It will also free up capacity on existing railway lines which will make the commute to work much easier and less stressful for many.

Drawbacks

While there are many benefits to HS2, there are also a few drawbacks to consider. It is argued that the development of this line will only benefit a small number and the huge cost of building the line will not be worth it, plus there will also be environmental damage to building the line through Chilterns and the Midlands. It could be argued that there are more pressing areas where money could be spent in an era of austerity and that there are more affordable alternatives to consider, including increasing train length on existing lines.

Alternatives

It will still be a long time until HS2 opens with London to Birmingham estimated to be completed by 2031 (pushed back from 2026). There are and will still be many good alternatives to consider for commuters, including driving which can be the best way to get to and from work for many. Additionally, car finance companies like Go Car Credit can make it easy for those with bad credit to get access to finance so that you can find a reliable car to commute in each day.

The HS2 is a highly ambitious project and one which could completely revolutionize travel in this country, including the way in which people travel to and from work but there are both benefits and drawbacks to consider.