It will be an environmental disaster. Hundreds of thouses of acres of lands will disappear under concrete and steel; millions of trees will be felled; millions of animals are likely to die as a result; not to mention the innumerable houses that will be pulled down, businesses ruined and people that have to be re-housed. And for what? Just so that a few wealthy (and it would be the wealthy to afford the high cost of the tickets) can a arrive at their destination a few minutes earlier. And I haven’t mentioned the cost. The many billions of pounds that are being wasted on this big white elephant should be spent on our failing health service. Apart from a few wealth commuters, who is going to benefit? Certainly not the people in the West of England, most of the North of England, East Anglia, Wales or Scotland, and yet they will have to pay for it to the tune of hundreds if not thousands of pounds. If this goes ahead, future generations are going to curse us for what we have done to our beautiful country.

Chris Mees, Burwash, East Sussex