Friday 18 November 2011

HS2 laid bare - Its an EU 'core' network!

The United Kingdom is being integrated within the European Union state in ways that are not publicized - and when they are, the EU element is hidden by our politicians. Two documents have come to light, ones that I do not recall being mentioned by our politicians, nor by the media - although I recognise that for the latter to notice anything that is not spoon-fed to them by their political 'contacts' is a step too far in logical thinking.

The first document I bring to your attention is a proposal by the EU Commission for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (COM (2011) 650/2). The second document is another proposal by the EU Commission for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (COM (2011) 665/3). I don't know about you, but I do not recall any mention of these two documents by our politicians or the media.

Within the programme being run by TEN-T (Trans European Network - Transport) it has been the aim of the European Union to create transport 'corridors' to speed the transportation of people and goods from one extreme of their 'empire' to the other. From COM 650/2 we learn that in the light of the challenges for the TEN-T policy, also identified by the White Paper 'Roadmap to a Single European Transport  Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system  ("the White Paper"), these Guidelines will define a long-term strategy for the TEN-T policy up to 2030/2050. We also learn that the proposal aims to establish and develop a complete TEN-T, consisting of infrastructure for railways, inland waterways, roads, maritime and air transport, thereby ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market and strengthening economic and social cohesion. (Do note the last four words!) It has also been decide by the Commission that the TEN-T could be best developed through a dual-layer approach, consisting of a comprehensive network and a core network.

For those that wish to wade through the usual EU verbiage, please do, but the interesting 'facts' come on page 43 of the Connecting Europe Facility paper, where in noting 'core networks' we see listed none other than High Speed 2 in Core Network #8: Belfast – Dublin – Holyhead – Birmingham
Glasgow/Edinburgh – Birmingham  Birmingham – London – Lille – Brussel/Bruxelles
Dublin/Cork/Southampton – Le Havre – Paris London – Dover – Calais – Paris. Note also on page 39 Felixstowe/Birmingham/Liverpool also feature as a 'core' network. In fact what is also laid bare is that all the debate about connecting Heathrow to the London/Birmingham HS2 line, connecting Heathrow and Gatwick with a rail link is just a smokescreen as all transport plans/decisions are now being taken in Brussels - all our puppets in Westminster have to do is implement that which they are told.

When considering Cameron's posturing today, during the press conference following his meeting with Frau Merkel, coupled with his wish to 'reform' the EU, he should at least admit that if as a Head of State he can't even decide what rail line gets built where, he might just as well haul up the flag of surrender now. He and the rest of the seat warmers that inhabit Westminster are indeed Judas Goats, leading this nation into a subservience of rule from abroad and one can but paraphrase the words of Cromwell when saying to them: Go and go now!

Please, please, can we just get out now, massacre our political claque (at all levels); and start again with a blank sheet of paper. Please?

6 comments:

Mike Spilligan said...

HS2 will be built - there's no arguing, whatever stupid excuses are used. No technical nor economic analyses matter. And we can guess that the trains will be built by Siemens.

PeterCharles said...

Yes, listening to Cameron today caused me to re-evaluate one of my opinions. Until now I had always considered Paddy Ashdown to be the singly most pompous prat in Westminster. He is now in second place.

As to HS2, it is very difficult to assign origins. There are many ways projects become part of an EU master plan. Some are purely local ideas, waved under an EU nose or two in the hope of getting some funding and thereafter adopted, some are the results of EU 'suggestions' that such and such a road/railway/canal/whatever are essential, so get planning and start building, others are spawned with more vague murmurings such as that a modern integrated transport connection between so and so is deemed desirable, occasioning our domestic little rats to get busy pleasing the master.

As you rightly point out, whichever was the actual conception, implementation is nearly always hidden in a fog of obfuscation to make it appear it is all national and not really anything to do with the EU. The few times it is presented as an EU initiative is when it is a demonstration of their munificence, like the housing refurbishments that were done a few years ago, without mentioning that UK taxpayers had to pay for it, of course.

Stuart said...

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/connecting/doc/revision/background-country.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtran/1185/1185vw38.htm

http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/eu-funding-plan-builds-on-ten-t-revisions.html

john in cheshire said...

I suggest that not only will HS2 be implemented, but that there will be a project to join Ireland to the UK;by bridge or tunnel. I don't see any reference to it in any of the documents that I've browsed, but logic says that it must happen in the EU view of itself. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but why should these ideas be imposed on people regardless of necessity and ability to pay. If the Germans and/or French want to build high speed rail networks through our countries, at their own cost and with no negative impact on us, the indigenous peoples, then all things being considered, let them get on with it. But they don't and they won't, without our money. I just want all politicians to sod off and leave us alone. That goes for senior civil servants too, because they are a major part of the problem.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

MS: No doubt........

PC: The London/B'ham/M'chester/L'pool link has been on TEN-T's website for absolute yonks. One of Stuart's links states it is not yet a 'core' project - but that's just playing with words.

S: Thanks for those links, much appreciated.

jic: I'd like all politicians to sod off too!

Anne Palmer said...

I would like to take this one step further for you to chew over and see what you think.

The Coalition: Our Program for Government
13. EUROPE The Coalition: Our program for Government. Cabinet Office. 22 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2WH Publication Date : May 2010. © Crown copyright 2010
"The Government believes that Britain should play a leading role in an enlarged European Union, BUT THAT NO FURTHER POWERS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO BRUSSELS WITHOUT A REFERENDUM. This approach strikes the right balance between constructive engagement with the EU to deal with the issues that affect us all, and protecting our national sovereignty".

"WE WILL ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY OR POWERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT PARLIAMENT. We will examine the balance of the EU’s existing competences and will, in particular, work to limit the application of the Working Time Directive in the United Kingdom". End of Quotes (this is the next parliament and this is a massive giving away of sovereign powers)

Without doubt the permanent transfer of British Sovereignty to the EU over our land (HS2-part of the EU's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Policy) and particularly over our Air (Air Traffic Control) and Ports and Seas, (for the EU's 'Motorway in the Sea') so that EU ships can come and go without asking permission, and 'the Seas' includes all that is in them and under the sea bed etc and is a massive and permanent transfer of Sovereignty from this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the European Union, and yes, according to a reply in response to one question recorded in Hansard, even down as far as the Falkland Islands.
(Permanent because World Maps will have to be changed particularly re the transfer of the Seas. ) The people should have a full, fair and true referendum on this matter before any start on HS2 and before one House has been demolished to make way for HS2.

Yet one mass of British Sovereignty went to the EU after the above was written through the EU's Localism Bill-now an ACT with the Dividing of ENGLAND into EU REGIONS. Scotland is already classed as an EU region as is our own patch of London, Wales and Northern Ireland. Before all the Elected Mayors the EU want are put in place-let us have the promised referendum. In fact, let all the people DEMAND the promised referendum and the whole of this passing of UK Sovereignty to Brussels.

When the EU can dictate how this Wonderful once FREE COUNTRY and its Governments allow foreigners to break up this land, its people into the REGIONS it so requires, so that the EU, through its Committee of the Regions can govern them at times, DIRECTLY, UK Governments have indeed allowed the EU to gouge the very heart out of this Country that so many died in the saving of it so that it should never come under foreign Rule.