This response explores how increased levels of smart and integrating ticketing can be rolled out across rural areas, incorporating existing best practice such as  'demand responsive' bus services, and facilitating investment small rural operators.

The debate on High Speed Rail (HSR) offers a once in a generation opportunity to achieve a more countryside friendly transport system. The potential benefits of HSR are not, however, a foregone conclusion. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) therefore supports the principle of HSR but believes the detail, including the context, of proposals such as High Speed 2 (HS2) needs to be carefully planned.

This report by Right Lines Charter signatories recommends next steps on High Speed Rail for the new Secretary of State, Justine Greening, ahead of the imminent decision on phase 1 of High Speed 2 (HS2).

This document is CPRE's consultation response to the Department for Transport's consultation on High Speed Rail that ended in July 2011. CPRE welcomes the Government’s ambition to make rail the longer distance transport mode of choice. We support the principle of High Speed 2 between London and the Midlands as part of the step change in rail capacity that would be needed to achieve this. However, we consider the current proposals and process by which they have been drawn up and are being consulted on to be flawed in a number of respects. In particular there is no broader national transport strategy to judge the proposals against.

This document has been submitted as written evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee and is now the Committee's property.

CPRE responded to consultation on Better Rail Stations report supporting increased investment in rail stations but calling for alternatives to the 100,000 new car parking spaces to be considered. Our call was supported by a wide range of NGOs.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) believes that current Government policy towards rail investment is seriously flawed and is still based on the now discredited ‘Predict and Provide’ approach. Transport appraisal tends to mask political choices by suggesting that the best transport schemes can be chosen as easily as best buys in a supermarket. We need a wider role for new stations and innovative local solutions.

Continental experience shows clear benefits of local control for local rail services. The greatest successes in increasing rail use through devolving control have been in rural areas and CPRE believes that reform of rail franchising should enable more local innovation for rail, as well as ensuring minimum standards.

Our Charter sets out four principles for doing High Speed Rail well, urging the Government to rethink it's approach to HS2.