It's been obviously necessary for decades yet the Government dragged their feet on it, and they're not even planning on constructing the segment into Cambridge yet. In the meantime, Cambridge house prices have gone through the roof due to a combination of a lack of transport links and programs to encourage new businesses there, and the Government has committed huge amounts of funds to HS2, which is yet another line out of London running in parallel to existing lines. Coincidentally, traveling in and out of London is the main kind of travel our politicians do. Also coincidentally, the Beeching cuts seemed to hit cross-country lines that didn't directly benefit London the hardest too.
Beeching mostly hurt rural communities, but he absolutely murdered Wales's transport network. What were 20 minute journeys now require a 200 mile circuit via England. Here's a (spammy, sorry) article that illustrates just how mad it was and is. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/7-ways-beeching...
All on the idea that people would drive to a main line station, park, then catch a train.
Except they never actually thought that, beeching and his chums were taking, uh, considerations, from the automotive lobby, just like his predecessors did when they ripped out the trams.
Cars suck for distance travel. Where did we ever get the idea otherwise?
> the Government has committed huge amounts of funds to HS2, which is yet another line out of London running in parallel to existing lines
FWIW, HS2 is mostly about increasing capacity, hence why it is parallel to existing lines. It moves intercity travel off the very busy WCML, which is near capacity, and is projected to remain near capacity after the opening of HS2 due to increase in commuter services and freight on the line.
