National productivity and a robust rail system go hand in hand

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

The future HS2 terminal in Birmingham: it is rarely possible at the moment to move goods and people across the nation quickly and reliably to an agreed timetable without delays and stoppages (Getty)

I was in complete agreement with your leader about HS2. However, what very rarely gets mentioned in these discussions is the effect our ancient transport infrastructure has on our national productivity, which nearly always scores lower than that of our competitors.

It is rarely possible at the moment to move goods and people across the nation quickly and reliably to an agreed timetable without delays and stoppages. HS2 would at least be a start in putting this right. As you mentioned, Japan and France have for some years had a more or less comprehensive high-speed network to all major towns and cities. Most other European nations, many rather poorer than us, are working hard to catch up.

It is not as if we have a particularly efficient existing rail network. There seems to have been no consideration given, for example, to upgrading it to take double-height carriages and trucks, which are ubiquitous in Europe and in North America. Such an upgrade would surely increase the productive capacity of our existing system by a substantial amount. This, by the way, should not be an alternative. We need both.

Perhaps we cannot do everything, but at the moment we seem to be doing less and less, and getting further and further behind.

Richard Swinney

Address supplied

Three is a magic number

A country’s productivity and ultimately prosperity depends mainly on three essentials. Its infrastructure, the population’s health and education. HS2 may leave the next generation a financial debt but also a hugely beneficial infrastructure.

Only roads, hospitals, schools and so much more to resolve then productivity will improve.

Rob Alliott

Cambridge

Bad Brexit strikes again

On Wednesday there was yet another consequence, in my view, that Brexit has and will continue to reduce Britain’s financial standing on the world stage.

ARM, the huge computer chip producer, resident in Cambridge, chose to issue shares through Nasdaq New York instead of the London stock market. This trend confirms, for me at least, that Britain is losing its appeal as a major centre for investment money from home and abroad.

Since we left the EU our standard of living has reduced alarmingly. Our financial services business, a once thriving sector, is now suffering from malaise due to Brexit and the mismanagement of our economy by this inept government. Britain has lost its pulling power in financial circles as our largest market, Europe, was lost with the advent of Brexit.

The consequences of the lies and subterfuge of the Leave camp are coming home to roost. All the restrictions to travel, business and national security we now experience are the direct result of their mendacious actions.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke

Bully for you

Simply have all dogs muzzled when in public. No harm to the dogs; no potential harm to people.

A Edwards

St Andrews