HS2 wrong for county and UK

Elise Benjamin, the Green Party's shadow on business, innovation and skills spoke to the Oxford Mail about the HS2.

Ms Benjamin said the HS2 plan would not benefit Oxfordshire and needed to be scrapped:

HS2 is the wrong economic model and the business case doesn’t stack up.

We can’t afford to wait until 2026 for one railway line when we need to invest more widely in the rail network.

It would make far more economic sense to put some of the money into improving the existing railway lines and the remaining money into regeneration of the north.

She spoke of her delight at her new role, which will involve appearing on television, radio and in newspapers on behalf of the party, and travelling as part of the European election campaign. She said:

I’m really honoured to have been asked to be one of the party’s spokespeople.

I’ve got a lot of experience as a councillor in dealing with local small businesses and I used to chair the economic development committee.

I also come from a background of innovation – my great-grandfather, my grandfather and my father all used to run businesses, so I have grown up with business and innovation.

For me, the economic issues around how we earn money and live are incredibly important and I want the focus to be on innovation and skills.

I think when people realise we get our economic policies properly coste by economists then it does change people’s perspectives.