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While lots of Business Live readers seem unhappy with today's HS2 news, here are some positive views.

Alan Lewis says: "This is a great - and much needed - development for public transport in our country. It will add considerably capacity to the completely full rail lines between Birmingham and London. It will take fast inter-city trains off our old Victorian rail lines and allow room for extra commuter, regional and freight trains. This should be welcomed by all travellers, businesses and environmentalists as it will provide additional low carbon transport, which is much better than building more roads."

Meanwhile John Griffiths says: "I live in rural Buckinghamshire, about four miles from the proposed route. It won’t benefit me directly at all but to oppose it is short-sighted."

Why? "We will all benefit from the building of this railway, which will bring much-needed investment and jobs to the economy at a time when Brexit risks taking it all out," he says.

"To delay or cancel is only to put off a bigger cost in the future. It was always going to have to be built one day, but to do it now is the right thing to do."