The train will run from Leeds to St Pancras via Manchester & Birmingham

BUT there aren't any flights to LHR from Birmingham and very few from Leeds, so which flights will it cut down on.

And in any case if people are going to LHR why on earth would they take a train to somewhere a hour from LHR when they could fly - why isn't the proposed train routed via LHR first then into London via Crossrail to Stratford

Finally what about the people north of Leeds - who are more likely to fly to LHR anyway