How will the recession affect investment in transport developments like the high-speed rail links that you support?
ERIC DEAN, Charlton Its crucial that we do the work now to make sure that in future years we are in the strongest possible position to make the right investments in the transport network. That is why one of my first tasks as Transport Secretary was to ask the Railways Minister Andrew Adonis to look at the potential for high-speed rail, alongside continuing improvements to the speed and reliability of the existing network. We only have to look at the West Coast Mainline to see what sustained investment can achieve. The £8.8bn spent has already delivered faster journeys between London, Birmingham and Manchester, with further improvements to come. During the last economic slowdown in the 1990s, the Tories slashed infrastructure investment. I am determined not to make that mistake. In order to stimulate Britain’s economic growth and support our position as a leading world economy it is essential that we take the right long-term decisions and investments in our transport infrastructure toda
