Times letters: Salutary lesson of the shambles of HS2

Sir, William Hague’s piece lamenting the loss of a high-speed rail line for Yorkshire (“HS2 has gone from shambles to red alert”, Aug 1) was a painful reminder of the damage done by Boris Johnson when the eastern leg was axed. Hague is right that the UK needs to learn lessons about how to do infrastructure more efficiently and I agree that powerful policy and delivery boards, independent from government departments, could be part of the solution. With the public losing patience after countless unfulfilled promises, this could ensure that the long-awaited train lines and hospitals become a reality.

HS2 is a clear case of short-term political calculations wreaking huge economic damage in the long term. The project’s red status from the Infrastructure