Stop HS2 and share the billions across the rail network instead | Letters

The week before the bill for HS2 was given its successful second reading in the House of Commons in March 2014, I travelled from Euston station to Carlisle at 5.30pm on a Virgin Trains Pendolino. I had an open return and no reserved seat. Half of this publicly subsidised train was given over to first class, which was only 10% full. But even second class had plenty of room, and I had a table to myself to work on.On another journey out of London 18 months later I travelled on the opening morning o