Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis today announced the appointment of Sir Brian Briscoe as the new Chairman of HS2, the company established by the Government to advise on the development of high-speed rail services between London and Scotland.
Sharp eyed readers will note that HS2 will now operate between London and Scotland, rather than just to the Midlands/Yorkshire.
What bounties befall us in an election year!
No matter.
Sir Brian may well prove an in inspired choice for HS2.
With a background in local government (ten years as Chairman of the LGA) he was also a planning officer for Kent just as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link was being debated.
This quote from the Torygraph:
"It was 1988, and the biggest row ever in local government," he says. "British Rail announced without proper consultation that they were considering four routes through Kent. They were all awful. There were 6,000 people on the street. It got really heavy in '89. We had public meetings with 700 people attending."
Poacher turned gamekeeper - nice move.
UPDATE: This, in slightly bitchy mode, from The Major....
Having seen what cast-offs from the Local Government Association have done to ATOC's press office and its reputation I fear for HS2.