Warwickshire high-speed rail line 'huge' waste of money

An independent candidate in the general election has expressed his opposition to a proposed high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham.

Joe Rukin said the region is served well by existing rail lines

The government announced plans in March to build a £17bn rail line through part of Warwickshire which could require the demolition of homes.

Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates for Kenilworth and Southam said they broadly supported it.

But Joe Rukin said it was a "colossal waste of money".

He said he thought the region was served well by the existing line.

Conservative candidate Jeremy Wright has said there was an argument for high-speed railway line if the network extended north of Birmingham and connected properly through London but he also said the proposed route for the new line made no sense.

Compensation needed

Labour candidate Nicholas Milton said a high-speed line was needed to cut carbon emissions.

However he said the lives of those along the proposed route would be "blighted" and they needed to be properly compensated should the plans go ahead.

Nigel Rock, Lib Dem candidate said it was not right that the announcement had caused concern among individuals.

"It has been bounced on to everyone and we have to look at it," he said.

James Harrison, the Green Party candidate, said he supported the rail link in principle but had concerns such as whether the link would encourage people to use trains instead of planes, as the government hopes.

The candidates nominated for Kenilworth and Southam are:

Nicholas Milton: Labour Party; Jeremy Wright: Conservative Party; John Moore: UK Independence Party (UKIP); Nigel Rock: Liberal Democrats; James Harrison: Green Party; Joe Rukin: Independent.

That chap used to have a beard and I think was known as "Rasputin". Was a hardcore City fan with heavy involvement in the GMK fanzine at one time. On the right in this picture: