Business HS2 boss needs French lessons to get his project moving The Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed railway line will be built in half the time – and for half the cost – of our HS2. Why? Gwyn Topham -- * Share via Email TGV HIGH-SPEED TRAIN FRANCE [ ] The TGV high-speed train has been a staple of French rail travel for 30 years. Photograph: Alamy While controversy rages over high-speed rail in Britain, the French are cracking on with three more lines. -- The 302km stretch of track that will put Bordeaux just over two hours' journey time from the capital is half as long again as HS2's London-Birmingham route and – at first glance – is being built for around half the price and in half the time. It is due to start operations in 2017 at a cost of €7.8bn (£6.3bn), compared with HS2's £21.4bn and 2026 deadline for phase one. These bald figures might interest HS2's new chairman, Sir David Higgins, who has vowed to see if HS2 can be delivered more quickly and cheaply. So how is it done? 1 Make it pay to get cracking -- 4 Keep clear of the trickiest bits While much of HS2's budget goes on the costs of coming into London and tunnelling through beauty spots and Tory marginals, the French route rejoins the existing line before it enters Bordeaux. -- 5 Start 30 years ago But this is France, where high speed rail been a staple of transport policy for more than 30 years, and generally have a measure of public backing Britain is far from achieving. -- major cities that are connected to the TGV have benefited – Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes. The economic impact is tremendous. A high-speed line can only help in attracting business and people." The railway industry argues that the TGV, as in Britain, is needed to provide capacity on the slower lines, not least for freight. And when the disruption of construction is over, a host of smaller towns down the route to Bordeaux will also be linked to the high-speed route via a series of raccordements, tracks allowing trains to divert into stations on the mainline railway. -- geography." Tours was transformed, he says, when its high-speed service shrank the journey from Paris to just over an hour in 1989. There are more commuters but, also, business and industry have relocated to the city. -- * Rail transport * HS2 * France * Europe -- * HS2 may increase risk of homes being flooded, senior Conservatives fear Concerns voiced about high-speed train line that runs over flood plains and requires diversion of seven major rivers Published: 23 Feb 2014 HS2 may increase risk of homes being flooded, senior Conservatives fear * Euston redevelopment at heart of HS2 project, says George Osborne Plans for Euston could include a new shopping centre and offices as well as flats above the station Published: 21 Feb 2014 Euston redevelopment at heart of HS2 project, says George Osborne * How much is it costing to scare British taxpayers into paying for HS2? Simon Jenkins Simon Jenkins: In what amounts to an abuse of democracy, lobbyists -- Published: 21 Feb 2014 How much is it costing to scare British taxpayers into paying for HS2? * HS2 billions should be diverted to rebuild south-west railways, say MPs Call to invest in transport infrastructure after sea wall collapse undermines Dawlish railway track Published: 15 Feb 2014 HS2 billions should be diverted to rebuild south-west railways, say MPs -- + Rail travellers 'to face queues for trains without HS2' Published: 3 Feb 2014 Rail travellers 'to face queues for trains without HS2' + Transport secretary blocks HS2 report Published: 30 Jan 2014 Transport secretary blocks HS2 report + Diary: Could Peter Mandelson's Euston hovel explain his opposition to HS2? Esther Addley Published: 29 Jan 2014 Published: 29 Jan 2014 Diary: Could Peter Mandelson's Euston hovel explain his opposition to HS2? (BUTTON) More more on this story