UK Broadband Petition - Please Help!

Hi everyone,

I've created a petition on the UK Government's E-Petition site calling on the UK Government to scrap the plans for the High Speed Rail (HS2) project in favour of a true national fibre broadband (FTTP) network that would benefit the whole of the UK and not just cities.

I'm sure there are members that would disagree with the petition but for those of you that agree with it please visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/54002 to sign the petition (1 vote per UK resident).

Many Thanks

Do you know how HS2 is to be funded, and how do you propose to fund FTTP within the EU's rules on State Aid (ie the law)

Scrap HS2 because it is a blot on the landscape and the budget will spiral out of control but surely there's no relationship to FTTP?

Both potentially involve lots of civil engineering, heavy stuff for HS2, just the vast quantities to do a FTTP roll-out, particularly if national and NOT involving Openreach network.

Seriously doubt EU would allow Gov funding for a national roll-out, just after we spent a chunk of superfast. Unless what that delivers can in no way meet the needs in 2018-2020.

By the time HS2 is completed I expect that the need for expenses-paid same-day or 2-day trips for conferences etc will no longer be required. There is no other way to pay the likely fares except on expenses. An excellent nationalised and nationally funded hyper-BB network would ensure the need to travel is reduced further. By 2030 work from home, except for manufacture and other hands-on-services, will be the norm. Rail journeys will be taken up increasingly for leisure and freight. I suggest that any money spent on rail should be to reverse many of the Beeching cuts thus enabling rural areas and small towns to have access to the rail network without having to depend on cars, non-existent bus services and road freight.

Yes, both HS2 and hyper-BB require heavy engineering work, but once the cable is laid it ends up underground just like the gas network.

I have signed the petition. Placed on FB.

Edited by deleted (Wed 21-Aug-13 21:53:13)

Thousands of people have been working from home for many years. Bandwidth requirements vary but a few meg is OK for many. It is incorrect to assume that 1G FTTP is needed for home working when FTTC will give sufficient speed for the majority.

And also scrap Europe.

In reply to a post by roughbeast:

I suggest that any money spent on rail should be to reverse many of the Beeching cuts thus enabling rural areas and small towns to have access to the rail network without having to depend on cars, non-existent bus services and road freight.

Why, in the absence of rail services, are the bus services non-existent?

Mainly because the routes are under used the bus company scraps them or reduces the number of trips but this is caused by the use of the personal car as its more convient.

Edited by deleted (Thu 22-Aug-13 00:19:03)

Ah, but I'd like to see roughbeast's explanation. Read the quote from his post very carefully .

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by roughbeast:

I suggest that any money spent on rail should be to reverse many of the Beeching cuts thus enabling rural areas and small towns to have access to the rail network without having to depend on cars, non-existent bus services and road freight.

Why, in the absence of rail services, are the bus services non-existent?

Shouldn't we just build another 5 very large cities like London , then nobody would need to live ''Out in the countryside'' and car and trains and buses and planes would become ''almost redundant'' , well except for flyinb to Gib or Spain or hot places on your Hols ??

WE could even reveive the plain old telephone and speak to people , not Text !!

In reply to a post by burakkucat:

And also scrap Europe.

tow it to Bangladesh for dismantling ?

I agree. HS2 (or as some wit said H2S because it stinks) will just soak ever increasing amounts of public money and should it ever be completed will cost a fortune to use by a decreasing number willing to pay the full fair.

Its an absolute disgrace,,the rail network in this country is horrendous & getting worse maybe the money would be better spent updating existing network instead of closing more & more stations etc etc, this proposed rail link would obviously only benefit the affluent few, why not try video conferencing & spend the money for the benefit of the average person.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

In reply to a post by burakkucat:

And also scrap Europe.

tow it to Bangladesh for dismantling ?

Of course!

Has anyone actually reduced their overall travel with improved broadband (rather than just incidentally displacing it)? It actually looks to me like a lot of broadband use is dedicated to increasing the amount of travel.

The trouble is that you can come up with figures to justify anything you want. Doesn't make it right, though.

Edited by deleted (Thu 22-Aug-13 14:30:07)

Well out here in the west of Wales, the old long distance bus network was withdrawn, it served too many places to be useful - making a trip to Cardiff or even Bristol too long to allow useful time before returning.

Not a case of convenience - more of necessity. Over an hour to get to a nearby town that is only 12 miles by road because the bus takes the scenic route. 2 hours travel for a 24 mile round trip is ludicrous, add waiting time and walking time to the bus stop and suddenly you are close to 12 hours for work and associated travel even though it is relatively local.

In reply to a post by smurf46:

Has anyone actually reduced their overall travel with improved broadband (rather than just incidentally displacing it)? It actually looks to me like a lot of broadband use is dedicated to increasing the amount of travel.

The trouble is that you can come up with figures to justify anything you want. Doesn't make it right, though.

I think thats a clear yes with internet shopping and research/education uses.