[mudetroit]

High speed rail cannot come close to replacing highways though. It deals with a fraction of the overall traffic that the highway system supports without near the flexibility. This is why even the countries that are making extensive use of high speed rail still have extensive highway systems.

Please note, I am in no way trying to imply that our current highway system works well, but that is a far different discussion.

[Symbiote]

The proposed high speed line north from London is supposedly the alternative to building a new motorway.

The high speed live won't carry freight, but it will free up space on the slower railway, and the motorway.

[ojbyrne]

Fair point in the first paragraph. It's the "far different discussion" I'm more interested in though. Starting with the loss of life caused by driving.