After HS2 is complete which is in about 15 years there will no doubt be links to Scotland to be considered. Although extending the line to Newcastle along the east coast is reaching into less densely populated areas and it might not have the traffic to make it worthwhile.

The smaller cities to the west such as Bristol, Plymouth, Cardiff would never justify such expenditure and Bristol already has a very fast straight line to London.

In some ways it could be said a single line from London to Birmingham then Manchester and Leeds would be the most densely used.  Yet the planned spur bringing Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby into the route gives it wider reach.

The route to Scotland via Preston which has always been a major line looks like it might be downgraded by remaining a ‘classic’ line which is unfortunate as our area would welcome such a line. In particular the line to Heathrow would be of benefit cutting out flying from Manchester for connections. It would also be expected that being able to reach here or London in  just over an hour could transform what people consider a day trip.

£5 a day for internet use plus £1 per 1MB.  So 10 days might cost £70 just to look at a few e-mails and a bit of internet. Here’s the extract:

Vodafone Pay as you go customers

As a pay as you go customer you’ll automatically benefit from Vodafone Data Traveller. You just pay £2 a day in our Europe zone and £5 a day (midnight to midnight, UK time) in our rest of world zone each day you use it.

• Vodafone Data Traveller countries (these may change from time to time)
• Terms and conditions

Standard data costs abroad

• Europe - £1 a MB up to 5MB, then £5 for every 5MB after that
• Rest of the world - £3 a MB up to 5MB, then £15 for every 5MB after that

We’ll send you free texts to let you know when you’re nearing the end of your data allowance. Once you’ve used your allowance you’ll pay the standard data rates.

We use internet tariffs and through the years these have had various names. The last time I looked it was called Websaver 10. Although it reached 12 in mid 2011.  Finding out the cost per watt of these tariffs is like crawling through the eye of a needle. Comparing Websaver 10 with Websaver 12 is difficult if you can actually find the detailed charges.  BG say 12 was their cheapest, yet on my calculations 10 remained cheaper for us.  As they tie you in for 12 months with a penalty charge I’m reluctant to change at the moment pending being advised of the new tariffs.

Having tried to compare them, all I can find is a blanket figure for using a set amount per year.   BG think this is simple and good enough, but I want details and how much it costs per KiloWatt.  We use very different amounts of gas in summer and winter and I want to know if their calculation factors that in.

Then what do you make of how they work out your bill. Do we really need to make such a calculation as below:

4 units on your meter is converted using a calorific volume of 38.8.  Which curiously I’ve only just noticed was 39.6 last time I checked. Does that mean the gas isn’t as hot now?

This is subject to a volume correction of 1.022640.

Then to convert to kWh it must be divided by 3.6

So a unit on your meter = 11.0225kWh.  Although they don’t tell you that.

This costs on the BG new on-line energy tariff either 8.357p if it is in the first 670kWh per quarter. Or it costs 3.827p if you’ve used more.  This adjustment that replaced the standing charge has crept up from £40 to £55.

Not to forget that sometimes prices are quoted without VAT and sometimes they might have VAT included. You can’t be sure.

BG’s new clear tariffs and billing is likely to remain as clear as a brick window. Overall this must score nil points. Just tell me the cost per kiloWatt and I’ll worry about the rest.  They talk about regulators but what good are they?

There are new companies coming onto the market and BBC Newsnight did us a favour by putting the BG Chief Executive on with a representative from OVO who I’d never heard of.  Lately the Co-op has been making louder noises about their gas supply.  So there are two interesting options away from the big companies.

Chris Huhne gets some flak for seeming to promote policies that are pushing up tariffs yet his insistence on changing suppliers probably has some validity.  My biggest reason for never changing is that all the companies are the same, at least we know BG, and the small price advantage swaps around.  My current reluctance to move is a worry the small companies might not last and might be bought out by one of the big ones. Inertia plays into BG’s hands. In my case an over simplified range of tariffs isn’t what I’m looking for, I just want to know clearly how much it costs in kiloWatt hours.

Preventing a disorderly crash of the Euro is the objective of all and now the UK is playing a lesser part.  Many Conservatives are elated by this.   As a supporter of the EU this is annoying, but as the EU seemed to be deliberately out to damage the UK more than anyone else, it becomes easier to tolerate.

Then it could be said that much of this is a temporary state. Can Greece stay in the Euro, it seems unlikely and other countries might leave. What would the status of Greece be then. How can the Euro work anyway if the Germans are so superior.  Constant re-alignment will be needed.

It might also be said that in many ways saving the Euro will be easier if France and Germany have no sceptical UK to consider. Having already influenced the appointment of the Prime Ministers of Greece and Italy they will now have less criticism for other action over the sovereignty of EU members.

If the UK are primarily interested in a trading agreement and this remains then in many ways nothing is lost.   Financial transactions with the EU may be taxed and strongly regulated but transactions with the rest of the world won’t be.  Many may to try to avoid EU regulation and the EU could try to prevent this, more interesting times could come.

One thing for sure is that President Sarkozy is no friend of the UK having been the main orchestrator of the rift and making some anti-British comments about the UK losing dynamism during the week.  At the last dramatic event involving the UK in 1991 it was the Germans who pointedly undermined the UK so at the end of the day there should be no emotion in the relationship from our side.  However we remain a member of the EU and must remain one.

It isn’t that clear what the overall advantage of starting HS2 in the north will be except that it is probably easier as it cuts through less inhabited areas and so will make faster progress. It also creates jobs in areas that are currently suffering more.  Politically it delays decisions in sensitive areas and perhaps changes to airports will enable the southern part of the route to be adapted.  Heathrow is badly constrained by lack of runways, an airport operating at over 90% capacity is a recipe for delays and increasing cost of landing slots.

Meanwhile the UK is accelerating its slip down the league table of developed countries not helped at all by having a clogged up transport system while Asian and major EU countries are building more runways and a fast rail network to major cities.

Our state of democracy is that a few newts placed on a site or a footpath used by a few people can set back a major development by years and cost millions of pounds.  While campaigners can make all kinds of fanciful claims.

In particular articulate people close to the capital and hub of UK power have a stronger voice than those in far off regions.  This is creating a two speed Britain where a region buffered by the Chilterns is getting a disproportionate amount of investment. A few crumbs are cast out to other regions like a few miles of electrified rail between Manchester and Liverpool while London gets a £16bn pound new rail line that is about the same length.

So Heathrow’s days of operating at over 90% capacity should be numbered and a new rail line linking the major cities of the UK should be started immediately to help create an M25 effect by spreading the wealth about.

Some say the EU damages trade, making us uncompetitive. How does that stack up with Germany being one of the worlds most successful economies.

Some say we’ll set up a trading arrangement. Maybe, but on who’s terms. Will David slay Goliath in this version.

If the UK was outside the EU we would not be part of any major world power. At a time of change in the world power balance is this wise. How long before Britain and France have to give up their privileged positions that create influence on world committee’s.

There are those who wrongly think the Human Rights Act and its court are related to the EU. These are nothing to do with the EU and non-members elect to be subject to them and members can elect to opt out.

Some say most of the population has never been given the opportunity to vote in a referendum. So what? Are we to have referendums every 10 to 20 years. Should we have had a referendum at all. What are General Elections about. What is the effect of UKIP. Probably more Labour and LibDem MP’s and so the opposite to their intentions.

Hard to find real positives about being outside the EU.

In the 1970′s my father retired with a local government inflation proof pension that was half his brothers. By the time they died my fathers pension was twice his brothers. Yes the 1970′s had 20% inflation but an inflation proof pension costs about 25% more than a capped one and only the government can afford such luxury.

Boots the Chemist is considering offering its pensioners a large increase in pension to buy out the inflation proofing. My own opinion would be – absolutely no way! In 5 years you will have no gain and after that you will be getting a pay cut below where you are now every year.  We don’t know where inflation is heading, the Bank of England says it will come down but others say Quantitative Easing could stoke up very high inflation. My opinion would be unless you’re not expecting to live long tread the cautious path and don’t take jam today for penury tomorrow.

This brings the story to whether Public Sector workers should strike for their pensions. It seems Public Sector workers are very fortunate to have a government guaranteed inflation proof pension. It must be subsidised massively by the government as no private company can afford it and employee contributions are no bigger, if not smaller, than a private company employee.  They claim to take lower pay but there are millions of private care workers, and shop workers on the minimum wage and most reports say that like for like, public service workers wages overtook private sector workers 10 years ago.  Evidence supporting Public Sector workers pensions strikes seems hard to find except from those directly affected or politically motivated and even the Labour Party leaders don’t support it.

The most recent experience can be likened to a trip on an ocean liner where no-one comes out alive. You go into a large building onto the top floor and in there are several rooms containing the dying elderly. Every now and then you’re asked not to come out of the room and a trolley with a blue cover travels by.  Meanwhile elderly ladies are asking to be lifted in the bed and as soon as it’s done they’re asking to be lowered.  Another lady is shouting help, help and when approached says she’s alright, but then starts shouting again. It seemed a bit like a madhouse. Little wonder the staff get tired.

When my relative started getting agitated the nurse said don’t worry this will help her and gave her an injection. Sure enough it did. Nurses see this as normal, I found the easy manipulation of a formerly good and proud life rather upsetting.  Sometimes heart attacks seem a kind way to go yet we’re told to eat a low fat diet and die slowly.

Is there a politician willing to risk their own career to save the world. Frau Merkel is probably the only person with enough power to stop the train in Europe but she appears to want to be a passenger. President Obama has a lot of problems of his own and he too seems reluctant, although whichever direction he moves it appears his opponents want to block him. The US, the leader of the western world, is a neutered beast creating opportunities for chancers the world over.

The only good news has been that some signs of light have been seen in Ireland. The Irish people have been very stoic and pulled together, recognising the difficulty their country is in. Quite different from the Greeks who seem to be unable to accept their situation and instead of working together are fighting each other to make it worse. Greece appears a dilemma similar to the bankers because to take the measures that natural justice would demand will bring about dangers too bad to consider. Logical people say we knew it was happening but didn’t act so the powers in place at the time are to blame, but which politician nowadays would stop a boom. Measures to stop the banks becoming too big to fail are allegedly being taken and no doubt we’ll hear about measures to prevent countries becoming too indebted to be allowed to fail. At least until next time.

Unfortunately, the EU is being shown once more to be incapable of holding a single line and taking action in times of distress. It seems very good at regulating the size of apples but when it comes to major world events the leaders go into hiding or do their own thing while claiming to be making momentous decisions. It seems the EU wants to be a major player but isn’t willing to enter the arena when challenges arise, that’s why we need the US to bring in the cavalry once more. So come on President Obama.

I’ve never been a supporter of UK Uncut as I can see a place for best use of tax advantages but paying absolutely no Corporation Tax seems to be taking it too far.

Last night on Newsnight it was brought out that until this week car parking at a supermarket and in town had different tax treatment favouring the supermarket. How many of these uneven surface regulations are there?

The mass of regulations is a nightmare and this government said it would reduce them. Yet if you knock down one end the other pops up. It has been reported that Civil Servants who are supposed to be cutting red tape are playing tricks by cutting trivia in exchange for even more complexity. Can we the voters ever win?