Could I suggest BA respond by boarding VT and handing out leaflets that read:

"£6billion+ of taxpayers' money for this?"

VT may like us to think that SRB's new train set on the West Coast Mainline represents a revolution in train travel. It does not. Whilst it was not the fault of VT, the West Coast Mainline Upgrade was a scandalous waste of public money. £6billion is an absurd amount of money for what is, by international standards, a feable increase in speed to 125mph.

Plus, there are the exponential increases in fares and ongoing public subsidy.

It probably have been much cheaper to have to built a new line, which could have been much faster and have greater capacity. Ironically, this will probably be one of the main findings of Sir Rod's transport review. Though, like Crossrail, Thameslink 2000 (!), it will probably remain on the drawing board.